Second Chances Reality: Monster from the Chamber
by BlueRowley
Summary: During his second year at Hogwarts, Harry discovers a mysterious egg in the Chamber of Secrets. What hatches from it leads to one adventure he'll never forget. With help from his friends, will Harry be able to tame the monster – and hide it from the school? The Sequel to To Have a Second Chance.
1. Chapter 1

The Sequel! I'm so excited to be writing this. Thank you all who've joined me on the journey so far. I hope you like this next story. The first chapter is a quick one, but have no fear, they'll get longer. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter

* * *

Harry tiptoed down the hall to his father's room. He figured he was getting a little old to be seeking out his father's comfort, but after the nightmare he had just woke up from, it felt like the right thing to do. He would have just sought out Sam for a quick hug, but the three-tailed kitsune was out hunting.

Harry pushed open his father's door and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He peered through the dark at his dad's bed, but it looked abandoned.

"Dad?"

Light flooded into the room from the bathroom, blinding Harry for a moment. He squinted at his father's figure in the doorway, his eyes slowly adjusting. Severus had a hand stretched out to a light switch, though he didn't flick it off yet. The man was only wearing shorts, as he usually did on warm summer nights. Severus frowned at Harry.

"What are you doing in here, son?"

"I, uhh, had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders then shook his head.

"Do you need a drink?"

Harry scuffed his feet on the floor. "No."

Severus sighed and moved towards Harry, leaving the bathroom light on so he could see. Harry felt very small and childish at the moment. He kept his eyes fixed on the floor, watching his toes dig into the carpet. Severus squatted slightly in front of Harry.

"Look at me, Harry," Severus demanded softly. Harry looked straight at his father, seeing him eye level. "What's wrong?"

Harry shrugged and said, "It was just a little scary, I guess."

"May I take a guess?" Severus asked, quirking a brow. Harry wasn't sure what his father was asking but nodded. Perhaps take a guess as to what was wrong? "Was it about Professor Quirrell and the stone? Or nearly losing Sam to the ministry?"

Oh, a guess about his nightmare.

"A little of both," Harry confessed, remembering how vivid and real his dream had seemed.

"You're all right son," Severus pulled Harry into a hug. "Your safe and sound. I'm here with you and Sam isn't that far away."

"I know."

After a long hug, Severus pulled back and looked at Harry.

"Are you ready to go back to your room?" he asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Harry, you'll be fine. Do you want Sam to stay in your room tonight?"

"Can I just . . . no, I don't want to bother Sam."

"But you're willing to bother me?"

"I'm sorry. Would you mind if . . . can I . . . I'd like to . . ."

"Do you want to sleep in my bed?" Severus asked when Harry struggled with his words.

"Yes, please."

"Alright. But just for tonight." Harry allowed Severus to pick him up and he wrapped his arms and legs around the man, wondering why he was still so easy to pick up. He rested his head on his father's shoulder while Severus turned off the light in the bathroom, blinding him once more. Harry blinked as he was laid in his father's king-size bed. Severus climbed in on the other side and Harry curled up next to him.

"Why am I so small?" Harry asked.

"You're not. You're average for your age."

"Were you this tall at my age?" Harry lifted his father's hand and compared it to his own by placing his palm against Severus's. His fingertips just passed his father's palm. Harry pouted, his lower lip protruding as he stared at the major size difference.

"No, actually. I've always been a little taller than the rest of my classmates." Severus interlocked his fingers between Harry's. "You'll catch up, don't worry."

Harry snuggled into his father's side, yawning. He let go of his dad's hand and looked up at the man. Severus had his eyes closed and was breathing evenly.

"Are you asleep?"

Severus snorted before saying, "What if I was?"

"Oh, sorry."

"Go to sleep, son. You have a busy week ahead of you."

"I'm going to be twelve in two days."

"Indeed. You've lived a dozen years now."

Harry smiled and closed his eyes, resting his head on Severus's shoulder. He shifted himself against his father more, his feet brushing up against the man's legs.

"Merlin's beard, Harry!" Severus jerked away slightly and was pretty awake now. "Your feet are ice cold!"

Harry laughed. "Sorry."

"Sorry? That's all you ever say anymore, isn't it?" Severus reached for his wand and cast a warming spell towards his son's frozen feet. He set his wand away and settled back on the bed, wrapping an arm around his son again, grumbling about sharing his bed with cold feet. Harry snuggled back into his father's embrace, happy to have warm feet now and still amused by his father's reaction. He yawned again, feeling his father's warm breath against his hair.

"Night, Daddy."

"Night, son."

* * *

The next morning, Severus woke up in bed alone. He pushed himself off his stomach and rolled his legs over the side. He stretched his arms before standing to perform his morning routines and dress for the day. The house smelled like pancakes and bacon. Severus smiled as he stepped into the shower. Harry had shown great interest in cooking and once he proved that he could make a small breakfast without making a mess, Severus allowed him to do as he pleased in the kitchen.

Severus finished his shower and dressed for the day, brushing his hair briefly before walking downstairs to join Harry for breakfast. His breath caught in his throat as he entered the kitchen.

White flour was everywhere, along with spilled syrup, scattered strawberries, a large puddle of milk on the floor, and a knocked over bag of sugar. Harry had himself covered in everything and Sam, fox-sized, was covered in white flour as he sat on the counter and watched Harry work the waffle maker Severus swore he had hid on an upper shelf. Sam's three tails flicked in amusement as he watched the young boy work the waffle maker.

"What on earth happened in here!?" Severus snapped.

Harry and Sam looked over in his direction. Harry smiled.

"Morning, Dad!" he greeted happily. "I'm making breakfast. I was trying to make waffles like you do. See?"

Harry held up a plate of misshapen waffles.

"Not bad for a first try, right?"

Severus glared at Harry.

"And who said you could attempt making waffles? How did you even get the waffle maker down?"

"Sam," Harry said, lowering the plate.

Severus glared at the fox, who smirked and looked at Harry.

 _: Snitch_ , Sam teased. _Don't worry, Severus, we'll clean this up._

Sam shook out his fur, shaking flour all over the place. Severus backed up a step.

"Sam!" he admonished.

Sam stopped shaking himself with a foxy smile, still as white as ever, before jumping to the counter on the other side, sniffing at the frying bacon.

"I'm sorry it's a mess, Dad," Harry apologized. "I'll clean up, I promise."

"Hmm," Severus growled, crossing his arms. "And take several hours doing so."

Severus whipped out his wand and waved it around. A broom entered the kitchen and began sweeping, a mop waiting in the hall for the broom to finish. Rags flew to the counters and scrubbed away, cleaners spraying themselves here and there. The fallen strawberries picked themselves up and flew to the compost bin, but Sam snatched them before they could fall in, licking his lips happily. Severus rolled his eyes at the fox.

 _: No need letting good produce go to waste,_ Sam stated.

A couple rags scrubbed Harry's face, hands, and arms cleaned while a spray bottle, brush, and towel cleaned Sam.

"Thanks," Harry said. "And I really am sorry."

"Next time," Severus reprimanded, "ask before you try anything new. Especially in the kitchen and around the stove."

"Yes, sir."

"Did you at least get the coffee started?"

"Of course," Harry nodded, rushing to the steaming pot and pouring the coffee into a mug, offering it to his father.

Severus gladly took the coffee, moving out of the way of the mop that came in scrubbing the floor. The kitchen was clean again and Harry plated food for everyone, putting Sam's food in a large bowl, making sure to add extra bacon. Severus sat at his usual place at the head of the table in the dining room. Harry carried out a plate for him and set Sam's bowl on the floor. Sam eagerly began chomping down.

Harry carried his plate out last, along with a cup of orange juice.

"Well done on the breakfast, son," Severus proudly said.

"Thanks," Harry smiled.

As everyone ate their food, Phantom, Severus's great grey owl, arrived and delivered morning mail and the Daily Prophet. Severus, finished with his meal, opened the paper to read the news. Sam had long been finished and Severus could sense the fox staring at his last few pieces of bacon on the plate. He ignored him and continued reading. Then he heard chomping.

He lowered the paper slightly and watched as Harry grabbed cut up pieces of his waffle and threw them to Sam, who was now sitting by Harry's seat. Sam caught the pieces in midair, jumping up slightly to do so. Severus frowned at the two, unsure of who to scold. He decided on Sam.

"Sam!" Severus yelled.

The fox tilted his head at him, his ears giving a flick.

 _: What? Do you honestly think I am going to deny more food? Especially bacon?_

Harry laughed and pointedly grabbed a piece of bacon.

"Harry," Severus turned his stern look to Harry. "No more feeding Sam. Finish your breakfast."

"Yes, Dad." Harry shoved the piece of bacon into his mouth.

Sam moved back to sit by Severus, eyeing the bacon on the man's plate once more.

"Go away, Sam," Severus growled.

 _: I won't beg like some stray mutt. But I will sit here and obligingly explain the benefits of having no leftovers._

Harry snorted and Severus raised an eyebrow.

"You don't call that begging? You had your breakfast. Go lie down somewhere or go outside."

 _: Come, now, you know you want to._

Sam wagged his three tails and perked his ears, tilting his head more. Severus tried not to look in Sam's direction, but he could still just see Sam out of the corner of his eye. He bit back a laugh and reached for a bacon strip, tossing it to Sam who caught it happily.

"Dad!" Harry scolded with a smirk. "No more feeding Sam. Finish your breakfast."

"Yes, sir," Severus chuckled.

 _: Score for the fox,_ Sam smiled, ending his begging game.

After Harry had eaten his fill, he sipped at his juice slowly.

"Tomorrow, can I have a sleepover?" he asked his father hopefully.

 _: What, may I ask, is a sleepover?_ Sam asked.

"You know," Harry began, "when you invite friends to spend the night at your house."

 _: This is technically the first house I've lived in. Sleepovers, huh? Inviting people into the safety of your home to spend time in your most vulnerable state. What a great opportunity for an assassin_.

"They're twelve-year-olds, Sam," Severus gave the fox a warning look.

"Almost twelve," Harry reminded his father.

 _: I find that age doesn't matter._

"I don't think my friends are assassins, Sam. But I was thinking we could invite Ron and Hermione and Draco, as long as he's nice to everyone – he should be fine – and we invite Neville and . . . and the twins . . . and . . ."

"Absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"They may come for your party but I am not entertaining those troublemakers all night. I believe everyone you mentioned will be plenty to host, but only four will remain the night."

"We can all sleep in my room! On the floor!"

"Not your friend Miss Granger. She will have to sleep in the guest room."

"Why can't she be in my room? She'll be all alone."

"I'm sure she will be fine. Besides, it would not be appropriate."

"What's not appropriate about it?"

 _: I could give you a good answer that involves four boys and one girl,_ Sam smirked at Harry.

"Growing young ladies need space and privacy, Harry," Severus said as he rolled up his Daily Prophet. "And Miss Granger is no exception."

With that, Severus whacked the back of Sam's head with the paper. Sam yelped in surprise before he bared his teeth at Severus. Harry grinned.

"Fine, but we can hang out in my room together until bedtime, right?"

"Until lights out, yes." Severus unrolled his paper and resumed reading it. "Now, go get dressed for the day. I advise you to take a shower."

"Okay." Harry stood and ran to his room.

 _: If you ever hit me with a paper again, you'll be reading it in shreds._

"What a very dog thing to do," Severus smirked.

Sam growled at Severus.

* * *

I hope you liked it. I know it's really short, but it's just a taste of what is to come! Any ideas for a sleepover? Game ideas? How to "stay up late without Severus knowing" ideas? Please review and tell me what you think!


	2. Sleepover Part 1

Thank you all for the reviews! I worked extra hard on this chapter for you all. Thank you for the ideas you shared for the sleepover: I used so many of them! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"I told him not to do any silly stunts."

"They're not silly. It's strategy. He's going to pull up and dive right down on the snitch."

"He's diving in too fast. He's going to miss it."

"He's not going to miss it! He's going to pull up and snatch it before it disappears in the water."

Severus completely disagreed with Sirius as they watched Harry fly after the snitch in a mini game of Quidditch. Harry, Draco, and Fred were on one team and Ron, George, and Neville were on another team. Hermione, not much of a flyer, decided to simply referee and she hovered on her broom and watched the boys play. In Severus's opinion, there were too many kids at his house. And people.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting the outdoor picnic table Severus had transfigured from sticks and stones, along with their youngest, Ginny Weasley, who Severus noticed had blushed when Ron introduced her to Harry. Lucius and Narcissa had just left moments ago, lessening the load, and Remus and Sirius were of course present. As was Augusta Longbottom, who continuously corrected everything Neville did. She would be leaving soon, however. Thankfully.

At the present moment, Harry was chasing a snitch, a birthday present from his wonderful godfather, and the snitch was heading toward the pond. Severus watched his son's "strategy" closely. It wouldn't work. He would dive straight into the pond at the speed the snitch was moving.

"No," Severus said to Sirius, who stood at his side. "I guarantee he's going to miss it. He dove too early and now he's far behind the snitch."

"I bet you ten galleons he'll catch it," Sirius challenged.

"Alright," Severus said, never one to back down out of a good bet. "I bet you ten galleons he'll lose it in the pond."

"Really?" Remus called to them from the picnic table where he sat next to Augusta. "You're betting on your son and godson?"

"Deal," Sirius said, shaking Severus's hand. They both ignored Remus, who shook his head at them.

Harry was right behind the snitch, diving straight down towards the pond. Harry stretched his hand out, reaching for the tiny object. The other kids hovered way above Harry, merely watching to see how this would play out. Harry stretched a little further, than had to yank his broom up and fly sideways to avoid crashing into the still pond water, the snitch plunking into its depths, creating ripples.

Severus smirked and held out his hand palm up. Sirius rolled his eyes and pulled out a sac of coins to count out ten galleons. Severus waited patiently and smugly, watching as his son landed in front of them, leaving the other kids to look for the snitch. Sirius handed the money over.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, Harry," Severus answered, counting the money to double check the amount while Sirius simply glared at him.

"Were you making bets? On what – me?"

"Of course not," Severus said as he pocketed the money. "Go back and play with your friends."

"I was wondering if we could have a lemonade break. We've been playing for hours."

"Forty minutes is hardly an hour. But yes, I'll bring out the lemonade, have your friends give the brooms back to Sirius and put yours away."

"Okay," Harry said as the other six kids landed at his side, dismounting the brooms. "Thanks again for bringing the brooms, Uncle Siri."

"What would a party be without them?" Sirius smiled as he accepted the six brooms back.

Severus went inside and pulled the pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge. He heard Harry run upstairs and then back down, the pattering feet headed for the kitchen.

"Slow down, son," Severus called out. "I do not want a trip to St. Mungo's to be a part of your party because you simply couldn't slow down and crashed into a wall."

Harry appeared in the kitchen, a huge smile on his face.

"I won't crash," Harry said. "I'm really thirsty."

"Here," Severus handed the pitcher of lemonade to Harry. "Can you manage that? Or would you rather take the cups out?"

"I got it," Harry assured his father as he used both hands to carry the lemonade out to the picnic table.

Severus gathered cups, plates, and silverware, using a spell to make all the platters of food follow him outside. Harry was chatting amiably with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the little ginger haired girl shyly smiling at Harry. Severus arranged everything on the table and everyone found a place on the benches and served themselves.

Midway through, Remus stood and talked over the loud chattering.

"I'd like to make a toast," Remus began, holding up his glass of lemonade and waiting till everyone was quiet. "To the birthday boy. Wow, twelve years old. I remember when I had visited Lily at the hospital right after you were born. And she dropped you right in my arms. You started crying immediately."

All the adults laughed and Harry smiled. Draco smirked at him and shouldered him playfully.

"I had no idea what to do. I told her "take him back, take him back!" She didn't listen to me, just told me to rock you and shush you. I think I forgot how to do anything in that moment, even breathe. I was so glad when she took you back. You were the tiniest baby though, so small with big green eyes like your mother's. You reminded me of a little owl. And you still do with your big green eyes and curious nature. I think I'm more happy that you don't cry each time I see you now. Happy twelfth birthday, Harry. To you."

Remus raised his glass and everyone followed his lead, chorusing "To Harry," before taking a quick drink. Remus sat back down and Sirius stood up with his lemonade.

"There was this one time," Sirius began, "when Harry was about two years old, I believe, and I was babysitting him for Severus. During that time, I slipped up and said a few curse words, and of course little Harry decides to start saying them as well. If you haven't heard a baby swear, put that on your bucket list . . ."

* * *

Harry enjoyed hearing the adults talk about fun times they remember with him. After Sirius had recollected teaching him to swear as a baby, Arthur and Molly both stood up and talked about first meeting Harry at the train station when they were picking up Ron. They spoke of how Harry had been the sweetest and well-mannered young man. Ginny stayed quiet. Augusta stood briefly just to give her birthday wishes and thank Harry for finding a friend in Neville.

Then Hermione had stood and told the story of how Harry and Ron had saved her from the troll, how she had felt like an outcast at Hogwarts and how Harry had made her feel welcomed. She ended with how glad she was to have met him and become friends.

Hermione's turn set off a chain reaction among the kids, who decided some funny stories were in need once again. The twins stood and talked about how they had used Harry as Faolan (Harry's Animagus tiger form) to pull a prank on their brother and ended up pranking Professor McGonagall instead. Ron talked about how he and Harry had challenged each other to a cookie eating contest until they were both sick to the point they vomited the cookies back up. Then challenged each other again when neither would admit defeat. The adults weren't too pleased with that story. Neville talked about the time Harry had been helping him look for Trevor and they both chased the frog down a hall at Hogwarts, trying to catch the slippery thing.

When Draco went, he told everyone how happy he was to have a cousin, a friend to play with, pull pranks with, and torment Uncle Sev with. That earned a laugh form everyone except Severus, who sent a playful glare Draco's way.

Severus talked about how proud he was to have Harry for a son, and with that, the man summoned the cake and placed it in front of Harry, twelve flaming candles in a circle. After everyone sang "Happy Birthday," Harry blew out the candles.

It was after dessert that the real fun began.

Augusta was the first to leave, and a while later the Weasley's left, taking the troublemaking twins with them. Then, after final goodbyes and hugs, Remus left followed soon after by Sirius. Then there was just Severus and five children.

"Why didn't your Aunt Petunia come?" Draco asked Harry as the five kids made a huge fort out of chairs, blankets and pillows in the living room. "And Dudley."

"They went on a trip to Spain for a few weeks," Harry answered. "They sent a birthday card, though."

"Just a card?" Draco looked displeased at the idea of receiving such a thing. Harry rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Draco," Harry said.

"I guess not," Draco sighed.

It didn't take them long to make a large fort in the living room. They used the couch and two other chairs, leaving Severus's favorite chair alone, and pushed them all close. A large blanket was put over the couch and two chairs with books on the chairs to keep the blanket from sliding off. Then another blanket was draped over the large opening to conceal the kids inside. They padded the hard carpet floor with blankets and dragged pillows under the fort. Hermione was given the couch and the four boys claimed a spot on the floor in a circle manner. Harry dragged a lantern his father had given him under the fort so they could see.

"Is your plan to hide under there until bedtime?" Severus asked, standing outside the strange setup. "I thought you wanted a campfire."

"Aww, but that means we have to leave our fort," Harry protested.

"We spent forever building it," Draco added.

"You spent five minutes on this contraption," Severus corrected. "I have an idea. Come on out."

The kids crawled out one by one and watched as Severus used his wand to clear out the living room. He summoned a bowl and turned it into a stone fire pit. Logs and twigs flew in from outside and arranged themselves in a tipi set up before igniting in flames. Severus added a final spell to keep fire sparks from jumping out and another spell to take care of the smoke, as well as one to keep the stone pit cool so the kids wouldn't burn themselves if they got to close to it.

"Wow!" Draco exclaimed. "An indoor campfire!"

"Is that safe?" Hermione asked, looking at the pit warily. "What about smoke detectors?"

"They're spelled to know when there is a dangerous fire," Severus answered. "It's necessary when you live with a fire breathing fox."

"By the way, where is Sam?" Ron asked. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Isn't he usually around for your parties?" Draco asked.

"Sam wanted to get me something that he had hidden somewhere," Harry explained. "I'm thinking he probably forgot where he hid it."

"He'll arrive later tonight," Severus added. "He had to travel pretty far to get to one of his hiding spots."

"Maybe he's getting you a sword," Draco smiled.

"Or a knife," Ron added. "Like the one he has."

"Or throwing stars!" Harry said excitedly, pretending to throw invisible weapons. "You should watch Sam with those! His aim is incredible!"

"I told Sam that whatever it is," Severus interrupted, crossing his arms, "it better not be a weapon."

Harry huffed and crossed his arms, mirroring his father who merely raised an eyebrow at him.

The five kids pulled out their pillows and gathered around the indoor campfire, using their pillows as seats. Harry quickly discovered that the flames were untouchable, probably a safety spell his father placed, but they were still very warm.

"I would think that at twelve years old, you'd know not to touch fire."

Harry looked at his father and smiled. "I was sure you had some spell on it."

"And what if there wasn't?" Severus challenged.

"Then you'd have all the potions I would need to cure my hand."

"Indeed," Severus glared at Harry. "All twenty of them – drinkable only."

Harry made a disgusted face at that, though he was sure Severus was only joking. Severus gave each kid a stick and handed them a bag of marshmallows before sitting in his chair a good distance away to give the kids some space to fool around and pay whatever games they would. Harry wished he could light his on fire to cook it faster, but the fire gently licked the marshmallow, even when it was put directly into the flames. It was still fun to have an indoor campfire and make golden brown goodies.

"I bet I could fit twelve of these marshmallows in my mouth," Ron said aloud.

"There's no way!" Draco said. "There too big and fluffy."

"Not if you cook them a little," Ron argued.

"That's a choking hazard," Neville said. "They'll get all gooey and stuck in your throat."

"Then I'll just eat them plain. I can do it. Watch."

"Ron, don't be an idiot," Hermione gave the redhead a look.

"Yeah, Weasley," Draco smirked. "Don't be such a Gryffindor."

Ron ignored them and starting popping marshmallows in his mouth. He put in three and smashed them a bit in his mouth before adding three more. Hermione just gave Ron a disgusted look. Neville looked concerned. Draco seemed torn between making a snide comment or just waiting to see if Ron really could fit twelve in his mouth. Harry just watched Ron in amusement. Ron could shove a lot of things in his mouth – especially cookies.

When Ron got to ten marshmallows, he seemed to have a little trouble smashing them down a bit.

"Come on, Ron!" Harry encouraged. "Two more!"

Neville laughed at Ron's chipmunk like face and Draco offered a smirk. Harry picked up two marshmallows for Ron and handed them to him. Ron managed to stuff them in and with a bit of jaw movement, he managed to close his mouth completely. He raised his hands up in victory.

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head while the three other boys clapped and cheered as well. Then Ron tried to move his jaws more. After a few seconds, he mumbled something through the marshmallows.

"What was that, Weasley?" Draco said, leaning in close and putting a hand to his ear. "I couldn't hear you over the marshmallow death trap you have in there."

Ron grunted something out again, his throat making noise but nothing coherent.

"What is he saying?" Neville asked.

Ron tried to speak again, but it remained incoherent.

"He can't chew," Hermione said.

"You managed to understand him?" Neville asked.

"No. But his dilemma is quite obvious. How do you feel about your silly challenge now?"

Ron glared at Hermione, though no one could take it serious with his puffed up face.

"What should we do?" Draco asked.

"Perhaps not shove twelve marshmallows in your mouth at one time," Severus said, standing behind them. He pointed his wand at Ron's mouth and the boy's cheeks slowly deflated as the marshmallows melted and trickled down Ron's throat.

"Mmm," Ron licked his lips happily. "Marshmallow milkshake. Thanks, sir."

"I believe you've all had enough marshmallows for one day."

Severus picked up the bag of remaining marshmallows and left to the kitchen.

"Now what should we do?" Neville asked.

"Sitting by the fire is nice," Hermione said. "It's warm and relaxing."

"I say we play truth or dare," Draco suggested.

"Okay," Harry agreed. "Since it was your idea, you first. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Okay, I dare you to . . . sing the Hogwarts song."

"No!"

"It's a dare; you have to do it!"

"I'm not singing that stupid song!"

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" Harry started the chant and was joined by the others. Draco made an annoyed face and sighed.

"Fine!" Draco snapped. "I'll sing it." Then, as fast as he could, Draco said:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, teach us something please, whether we be old and bald or young with scabby knees, our heads could do with filling with some interesting stuff, for now they're bare and full of air, dead flies and bits of fluff, so teach us things worth knowing, bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest, and learn until our brains all rot."

"That wasn't singing," Hermione chided. "That was just you talking really fast."

"I can sing it in whatever tune I want. That was my tune. I did the stupid dare."

"Whatever. It's your turn to ask someone something."

"Fine, Granger. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Which one of us here are you most likely to kiss?"

"Draco!" Severus snapped from where he had returned to his chair in the far corner of the room, reading a fairly thin book. "Either be appropriate or you will be going home early."

Draco blushed, forgetting about Severus in the room. Hermione just gave him a disgusted look.

"None of you," she answered. "Neville, truth or dare?"

"Truth, please."

"What class do you hate the most at Hogwarts?"

Neville turned red and glanced at Harry then peered over the campfire towards Severus.

"Umm, potions," Neville tried to say in a whisper.

Harry didn't blame Neville; his father wasn't the nicest of teachers and Neville wasn't all that great in the subject any way. He offered a smile in hopes to ease Neville's fears of being ridiculed by the Potions Master himself or the man's son.

"Good to know, Neville. Your turn to ask someone," Harry encouraged.

"Harry, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to . . . uhh, eat a whole box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in one mouthful!"

"That's brutal, Neville!" Harry exclaimed.

"You have to do it, Harry!" Draco smirked.

Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry expectantly and sympathetically. Harry stood and walked over to his father.

"I was dared to eat a whole box of Every Flavor Beans," he told Severus.

"You're not eating a whole box," Severus said, summoning a box from the kitchen. "You definitely don't need all the candy so close to bed time. Here's a handful. That'll have to do."

"Thanks," Harry scrunched his nose at the multi-colored beans in his hand and walked back to the group and sat down. "I couldn't get a whole box, but this is a good amount. Here goes nothing."

Harry threw the beans in his mouth and chewed them, his face immediately scrunching up and his eyes closing tightly as flavors of vomit, banana, mint, coffee, fish, chocolate, and so many more drowned his taste buds and made him want to sick up. He fought to finish chewing them and swallow the dreadful combination of candy. He stuck his tongue out at the end, making a face and letting out a "bleh!"

"Good job, Harry," Hermione praised, smiling at his face.

"That must have been terrible!" Ron patted Harry's back. "Are you trying to poison Harry, Neville?"

"Of course not," Neville said, trying to hold back his laughter.

"That was the best dare yet!" Draco exclaimed.

"Okay, my turn," Harry looked at Ron. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"I dare you to . . ." Harry looked around, wanting to find a good dare for Ron. He saw a small, black spider crawling up the wall near the door. He smirked evilly as he remembered Ron's fear of the eight-legged creatures. "I dare you to go catch that spider and release it outside."

Everyone looked to where Harry was pointing by the entranceway, spotting the spider on the wall, now immobile. Everyone looked back at Ron and waited, taking in his wide eyes and fearful expression.

"You want me to . . ." Ron gulped and looked at Harry. "I'll eat the rest of those beans if you'd like."

"Nope," Harry shook his head. "That spider has to go back outside where he belongs."

"Come on, Weasley," Draco encouraged with a smirk. "Show off some of that Gryffindor bravery."

"You can do it, Ron," Hermione said. She stood and found a cup on the dining table and a paper plate from the party earlier. "Trap it with the cup and slide this under it. Then carry it outside and drop everything. It'll be easy."

Ron accepted the cup and plate and slowly made his way over to the spider still lifeless on the wall. Slowly, he placed the cup over the spider, his hands trembling the entire way there. His hands still shook as he kept the cup over the spider and slowly tried to slide the paper plate under the cup and unmoving spider. He had to lift the cup up slightly in order to do so, making him more nervous. The paper plate had just touched the spider when the little black thing ran forward. Ron screamed and threw the cup and plate and ran away from the wall and back to the group, falling beside Harry. The spider was gone.

"Nice going, Weasley," Draco laughed. "Now the spider will come find you in your sleep and exact revenge!"

Draco wiggled his fingers dramatically and Ron looked terrified.

"Don't listen to him, Ron," Hermione said. "Spiders like that one are harmless."

"It's your turn," Harry said.

"I think I've had enough truth and dare to last me a lifetime," Ron said, staring in the direction the spider had been.

"If he won't go, then I'll go, Draco said. "Longbottom, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Neville said.

"I dare you . . ." Draco looked around the room, then at the fire pit, past the fire pit and his eyes lingered on Severus reading his book. A slow smirk overcame his face. He leaned close to Neville and whispered in his ear. Neville's face paled and he shook his head.

"What? What did he say?" Hermione asked.

Neville leaned and whispered in Hermione's ear. Hermione huffed, rolled her eyes and shook her head, leaning close to Harry to whisper in his ear.

"Take the book Professor Snape is reading," she whispered. Harry smiled and whispered that to Ron who looked at Severus nervously and gave Draco an "are-you-crazy" look.

"I'm not doing that!" Neville said, a faint tremor in his voice. "You try and do that!"

"I'm the one who gave the dare, I don't have to. Weasley, you do it."

"You're out of your mind! You do it if you really want to see it done!"

"You chicken, you could hardly handle that spider –"

"I'll do it!" Hermione decided, standing to her feet and marching over to Severus.

Everyone stared wide-eyed as they watched her, amazed that she was actually braving it.

"Evening, sir," Hermione smiled, standing in front of Severus's chair. "What are you reading?"

"A book," Severus answered with a suspicious look. "Why are you over here instead of playing with your friends?"

"They're being too much like boys."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Severus had an amused look.

"You know, eating gross stuff, roughhousing, wet willies and all."

"Wet willies? What is that?" Draco asked softly to Harry, who promptly licked his finger and stuck it in Draco's ear, giving a quick twist. "Eww!" Draco pulled away and pushed Harry over, pulling a blanket out from under the fort and wrapped Harry's head in it, trying to playfully smother him. Neville and Ron laughed.

"See what I'm saying?" Harry heard Hermione's voice and he wrestled out of the blanket and shoved Draco off him good-humoredly. He looked back at Hermione and his father.

"So I see," Severus smiled. "And you decide to see what I'm doing?"

"I like reading."

"Yes, as every teacher at Hogwarts knows. This is a book on the updated process of brewing Wolfsbane. It's a faster way and produces more product than the way I've been doing it."

"Wolfsbane? But why would you be brewing that?"

"I don't believe that is any of your concern, Miss Granger."

"It sounds really interesting. Are we gong to brew that this coming year?"

Severus snorted, "While I'm sure you'd manage well, it's a rather complicated process for most second years."

Hermione looked shocked at the subtle compliment, but a smile quickly spread across her face and she shyly looked away.

"If you'd like, Severus said, closing the book and holding it out to her, "you may read it before lights out later."

"Thank you, sir!" Hermione said, taking the book. Before she could walk away, Severus motioned for her to lean closer and he whispered in her ear. Harry frowned as Hermione walked back over to them.

"See? I got the book."

"Congratulations, Granger," Draco gave a slow applause.

"What did Dad tell you?" Harry asked.

Hermione picked up a pillow and said, "He dared me to start a pillow fight by smacking you across the face."

And with that, Hermione smacked Harry hard with the pillow. Laughing, Harry grabbed his own pillow and attacked her back. So his father had known all along about the dare Hermione had done. And he let her win! Draco grabbed his pillow and started beating down on Harry with it. Ron attacked Neville who struggled to pull his own pillow out from under him. Soon, everyone was beating each other with a pillow. Harry stood up and yelled "Charge!"

Everyone followed his lead as he raced over to Severus who was smirking at them form his chair. Seeing the kids running to him, Severus frowned and tried to say, "Don't you dare –"

The kids beat him mercilessly as he struggled to stand out of the chair. Once he was on his feet, he used a spell that lifted the pillows out of their hands. With a flick of his wrist, the pillows attacked the children on their own, flying around and smacking at them. The kids screamed and ran back to the fort, scrambling under the blankets. The pillows couldn't follow in and stopped their attack, falling lifeless to the floor.

Everyone got in their spots inside the fort, Hermione on the couch and the boys on the floor. Harry turned the lantern back on and pulled the pillows into the fort, handing them to each person.

"Who's in the mood for a scary story?" Hermione asked, grabbing the lantern and putting a part of her blanket over it.

"It better be good and scary if you're telling it," Draco said, adjusting the blanket and pillow he had.

"I'm not big on scary stories, but I'll listen in," Neville said.

"Try me!" Ron demanded, staring intently at Hermione, daring her to scare him.

Harry just settled in among his friends, ready for a good scary story.

"This is one my parents used to tell me when we went camping," Hermione informed. She adjusted the blanket over the lantern, making it darker under the fort. She cleared her throat loudly.

"At the end of the street lies an old abandoned house. No one dares to go inside, only a fool would be so stupid to want to explore such a place. Well, two kids who lived down the street thought they were the bravest in town. They told their parents they were going to the park, but instead, they went to the abandoned house. They could hear the distant laughter of their friends at the playground, but it all faded out as they entered the building.

It was dark, not a single light switch worked. One lightbulb flickered as it swung from the ceiling, though neither kid could feel any draft that would cause it to swing. They went deeper into the house, curious as to what was up those creaky stairs. Then they heard a noise.

Step! Draaag. Step! Draaag!

It was coming from the basement. The two kids stared down the dark stairway leading to the basement. The light switch didn't work there either. They heard it again!

Step! Draaag. Step! Draaag.

Neither kid wanted to go down those stairs. Then a shadow appeared on the wall at the bottom of the stairs, slowly creeping up the stairs.

Boom! Draaag. Boom! Draaag.

The kids backed away as the noise grew louder, the shadow grew larger and came ever so closer.

That's when they saw it, a tall dark figure with glowing yellow eyes, pointy teeth, and long clawed fingers. It moved towards them.

Step! Draaag. Step! Draaag. Step! Draaag . . ."

Thud!

A noise outside the fort startled everyone in it, even Hermione.

Thud! Draaag. Thud! Draaag.

"Is this part of the story?" Neville asked with a trembling voice.

"No, Neville," Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's probably just Harry's dad trying to scare us."

"Dad!" Harry called out. "Stop that! It's not working!"

Thud! Draaag. Thud! Draaag.

"He's ignoring me," Harry rolled his eyes this time.

"Harry . . ." Ron looked over Harry's shoulder with a terrified look. Everyone followed Ron's gaze.

A dark figure was standing in the fort with them – standing, even though the blanket seemed undisturbed by it. The five kids stared wide-eyed at it, gaping mouths and frozen bodies. The creature seemed to grow even taller under the fort. Hermione scrambled away, knocking the blanket off the lantern. Light filled the enclosed are and the dark figure opened its glowing yellow eyes, long clawed hands reaching out for the kids.

"Ahhhh!" Everyone screamed and scrambled over each other to escape the tent, messing up the fort entirely, getting tangled in the blankets and tripping over pillows. They continued to scream as they freed themselves and ran away from the ruined fort and into Severus, who came running from the kitchen.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Severus soothed as the children gathered behind him. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"There's a . . . there's a . . ." Neville stammered.

"We saw a . . . we saw . . ." Hermione tried to say.

"A monster!" Ron spat out. "There's a monster under there!"

"I believe you've all had enough scary stories for one night," Severus said in a concerned tone.

"No, we really saw it, Uncle!" Draco said, trying to stay as much behind the man as was possible. "It's there!" He pointed at the collapsed blankets that had once made the fort.

"We really did see it!" Harry added. "It was huge! And under the fort but it didn't mess anything up or . . . or even touch anything! It was like a ghost!"

"I can assure you all that there are no monsters or ghosts in this house," Severus said.

 _: And I can assure you all that you just fell for a fox's illusion._

Everyone froze and looked at the three-tailed fox lying lazily in Severus's armchair, a smug, foxy smirk pulling at his lips as he rested his head on his black paws, his ears flicking in amusement.

"Sam!" the kids yelled.

* * *

Don't worry, the sleepover isn't over yet! Unintentional overuse of over. Anyway, there's more to come in the next chapter with the sleepover. I hope you liked it so far.


	3. Sleepover Part 2

This has been begging to be written all day! Just had to write it for you all! I hope you enjoy the rest of Harry's sleepover!

* * *

"That wasn't funny, Sam," Harry glared at his friend, crossing his arms as he stepped away from his father.

 _: Perhaps not from your perspective,_ Sam jumped off the chair and trotted over to the kids, who came out from behind Severus. _But I was only playing along with Hermione's story._

"Playing along?" Hermione questioned. "You brought the story to life!"

 _: It was all in your heads,_ Sam trotted past the kids and to the dining table, jumping up to grab a wrapped box and walking back over to Harry.

"I though fox illusions were dangerous," Harry said.

 _: Tricks on the eyes and brain are harmless,_ Sam said, still holding the box as he tilted his head. _And they are easy to break and see right through if you're expecting it. Illusions where I invade your dreams are dangerous, since they invade the mind and have the potential to break your spirit, causing life-long insanity or even a life-long coma if I wished to trap you inside your dreams forever. It's those illusions that render you weak enough for a kitsune to kill you. Here, for you. Happy birthday._

Harry accepted the box from Sam and unwrapped it as everyone gathered around him to see, Draco quietly hoping that it was a weapon of some sort. Harry opened the box and pulled out a strange wooden object. It was a stick with a point at the end, two cups on either side near the point, a cup at the bottom, and a ball with a hole in one end attached to a long string. Harry frowned and looked at Sam.

 _: It's a kendama_ , Sam clarified. _A popular Japanese toy that needs good hand-eye coordination, balance, reflex, and a lot of creativity. I can show you some basics later if you wish._

"That would be great!" Harry smiled. He still had no idea what the kendama was, but Sam did make it sound fun and challenging.

"I was hoping you'd get him a sword," Draco admitted, taking the kendama and studying it, swinging the ball slightly.

"Or a knife," Ron said, peering over Draco's shoulder to see the strange toy up close.

 _: Your uncle threatened to turn me into a fur coat,_ Sam smirked at Draco, _though I don't believe Harry is quite ready for a weapon. More practice until he finds one that feels natural to him._

"Which won't be until much later in the future," Severus interrupted.

"This toy is weird," Draco said, handing it to Ron to look at.

 _: It's weird because you've never seen one. This kendama is fun – all you do is find different ways to catch the ball in one of the three cups or spike it with the point. Once you have the hang of it, you'll be addicted._

"Thanks, Sam," Harry said. "It's really cool!"

 _: Your welcome. And I can't wait to show off some tricks._

"Alright, everyone," Severus said, grabbing the kids' attention. "Why don't you put that away and then everyone get ready for bed. It's getting late."

"Yes, sir," the kids chanted, Hermione handing the toy to Harry and everyone running up the stairs.

Hermione ran to the guest room and the boys ran to Harry's room where they dressed into their pajamas and found their toothbrushes. After changing and taking turns washing their faces, everyone brushed their teeth together, though that quickly turned into splashing water at each other and all over the bathroom. Once they were finished, Severus used a spell that caused Harry's bed to lift and stand up against the wall, giving more room for the boys to set up their sleeping bags.

Harry laid his sleeping bag out between Ron's and Draco's, and Neville set his up next to Ron. They sat up on their bags while Hermione entered the room with a blanket, which she laid out in front of where the boys were, and sat down on top, her pink floral pajamas contrasting greatly with the boys' dark colored pajamas.

"You five have fifteen minutes before lights out," Severus informed. "I suggest a quiet game until then."

With that, Severus left the room.

Harry went to his closet and pulled out a ball that had words written all over it.

"I guess it won't hurt to play Toss N Talk," Harry decided. "I got this from Nathan, a friend from town."

"Let me guess," Draco sneered at the ball, "he's a muggle."

"He is. And this is a fun game. I throw the ball and whoever catches it has to read the phrase their right thumb touches and answer it. Then you throw it to the next person."

"Sounds boring," Draco decided.

"Sounds like a good quiet game before lights out," Hermione argued.

"I'm in for it," Neville said, rearranging himself so he was more angular to Harry. "I'll go first."

Neville opened his hands to catch the ball and Harry tossed it to him.

"Can you touch your nose with your tongue?" read Neville. He promptly stuck his tongue out and reached for his nose. After a minute of really trying to touch his nose, Neville gave up. "Nope, can't reach it. Here you go, Malfoy."

Neville tossed the ball over to Draco.

"This is stupid," Draco mumbled, looking at where his right thumb was touching. "This game is for babies."

"Last I knew," said Hermione, "babies can't play games that involve precision when throwing and advanced communication."

"Who asked for your opinion?"

"Just play the game and quit complaining."

"If you could rule the world for a day, state something that you'd ban," Draco looked at Hermione. "Know-it-all brats," he said, throwing the ball to Hermione.

"Haha," Hermione scowled before reading hers. "What irritates you the most? Spoiled boys who think they're princes."

Hermione threw the ball back at Draco, who glared at her.

"I am far better than a prince." Draco threw the ball back. "And I already went."

"Then go again." Hermione threw it back.

"You go again!" Draco tossed it back at Hermione.

"C'mon guys, share it!" Harry interrupted, slapping the ball out of Hermione's hand. It flew over to Ron, who fell over to catch it.

"Be hairy all over or completely bald? Hmm," Ron touched his hair, then his chin and arms. "I think I'd rather be bald than hairy all over."

"Are you sure, Weasley," Draco asked. "I think being hairy all over might improve your looks."

Ron threw the ball at Draco with force and it bounced off the boy's arm and rolled over to Harry. Harry picked it up and looked at where his thumb was.

"Be invisible or be able to read minds? I'd rather do both, like Sam."

"You have to pick one or the other," Hermione reminded.

"Well, if I was invisible, I could prank everyone without them ever knowing it was me," Harry smiled. "But if I could read minds, I'd always know what everyone is thinking and could predict what they're going to say and do . . . I'll have to go with read minds."

Harry threw the ball to Hermione.

"What is the naughtiest thing you have done in school?" Hermione paused to think.

"Oh, c'mon, Granger," Draco rolled his eyes. "What naughty thing could you have possibly done in school – that didn't involve anything we did as a group!?"

"I've lied to a teacher," Hermione supplied. "Remember the troll incident?"

"I guess we weren't really a group then, yet," Ron added.

Hermione tossed the ball to Ron.

"If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Umm, I would have the superpower of . . . shooting lasers from my eyes! That way, I could really make people explode when I glare at them! Like you, Malfoy."

"Are you sure it's not so you can kill spiders from far away?" Draco smirked.

Ron threw the ball at Draco again and the blonde caught it.

"If you had a million dollars, what would you do?"

"Worst question you could get!" Harry exclaimed.

"It's not," Draco said. "I'd just be a million dollars richer. Your turn, Longbottom."

Draco threw the ball to Neville.

"What is the weirdest thing you have eaten? Something your brothers gave me." Neville looked at Ron. "I don't remember what it was, but it made me breathe fire! Actual fire!"

Everyone laughed and Neville shook his head and tossed it to Harry.

"You wouldn't be caught dead where? My dad's lab without his permission."

"If you weren't dead already, you'd be dead!" Draco laughed.

"Indeed," came Severus's voice from the doorway, where he was leaning causally against the frame, smirking. "I like your answer, son."

"I'm sure you do!" Harry threw the ball at Severus, who caught it with ease. He twirled the ball in his hands as he entered the room.

"It's been twenty minutes," Severus informed. "Time for bed. Miss Granger, back to your guest room, please."

"Yes, sir," Hermione obediently rose. "Goodnight everyone."

Severus put the ball back in Harry's closet and waited until Hermione had left and the boy's were in their sleeping bags before turning the light off.

"Goodnight, boys."

Severus shut the door.

Ten minutes passed as the four boys laid in the dark room. Then, Harry crawled to his closet and opened the door, pulling out a lantern and filling the room with some light. The other three sat up and watched him crawl deeper into the closet and drag things out from under a blanket.

"Check this out!" Harry revealed a large stack of candy, muggle and wizard alike, and two 24 packs of mini 7.5-ounce coke cans. "Sam helped me gather all of this last night."

"Wow!" Ron scurried over to the candy and crabbed a cauldron cake. "Can I borrow your fox some time?"

"How did you hide all this from Uncle Sev?" Draco asked, crawling over to join Harry and Ron, Neville following.

"I think Sam stole them all from the muggle corner store nearby. I supplied the wizard candy. Sam brought everything through my bedroom window and we just hid everything under this blanket in the closet for tonight."

"What is this?" Neville asked pulling one of the coke cans apart from the package.

"It's soda," Harry said.

"What's soda?" Draco asked, taking a can as well. Ron picked one up and shook it.

"No!" Harry shouted before slapping a hand over his mouth. He waited a minute before whispering, "don't shake them, they'll explode all over the place."

Draco, Ron, and Neville dropped the cans and quickly back crawled away from them. Harry sighed and set the three cans aside to let them fizz down. How could he forget he was dealing with three purebloods? Though Draco visited Uncle Sev often, there usually was never muggle soda in the house. He grabbed three more and opened them, handing one to each boy.

"Try it. It's very good."

Ron sniffed his then braved a sip. He smacked his lips and said, "Mmm, this is good!"

Draco and Neville both took a hesitant sip as well.

"It's . . . different," Neville said.

"Hey," came a sharp whisper.

The boys spun around and looked back at Hermione, who was shutting the door behind her.

"So you are still up," Hermione observed, walking over to them with a pack of cards and spoons. "And you have snacks and drinks. Good! I brought this game from home we could play. Are those mini sodas? They're perfect, we could use those for our game."

"Have you ever tried one of these, Hermione?" Ron asked, holding up a can. "They're delicious!"

Hermione just stared at Ron with a look before looking at Harry, who shrugged his shoulders and offered her a can.

"Here's what I'm thinking," Hermione said, shuffling the cards. "We'll play Spoons and use those drinks for losers. To play the game, you must have enough spoons for everyone but one person, so we'll have four spoons. We'll set these here in the middle. I deal everyone five cards, like so. And then I start drawing from the deck and pass cards I don't want around. You have to come up with four-of-a-kind and then grab a spoon. If you see someone grab a spoon, then you have to grab a spoon too, whether you have four-of-a-kind or not. The person without a spoon, has to chug a whole can of soda."

"Well, good thing they're minis," Harry said.

"Does everyone get what to do?" Hermione asked.

The four boys had formed a circle around the four spoons on the floor.

"Yep," they said.

"Good," Hermione smirked. "Let's begin."

Hermione began flying through the deck, looking at cards and passing them on at unnatural speeds. Harry was a bit shocked at how fast Hermione could play but figured she'd probably played this game several times before. Harry tried to move as fast as her and look at the cards and pass them on, the other boys trying their best as well. Soon, Hermione snatched a spoon and with a second's hesitation, the boys reached for spoons as well. Neville was too slow in grabbing one.

"Chug away, Neville," Hermione said as Harry opened a new can and handed it to Neville.

Neville took a deep breath and threw the can back, drinking as fast as he could. When he finished, a loud burp escaped his throat and he covered his mouth, his face turning red. The other boys laughed while Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Let's go again," Draco said, preparing himself to grab cards and pass them.

"It's Harry's turn to deal," Hermione said, passing the cards to Harry.

"Okay," Harry said, dealing five cards to everyone. "But I won't be near as fast as you, Hermione."

Harry began looking at the cards and passing them, trying to be fast. He had two threes of diamonds and was trying to pick out more from the pile. He thought he may have just passed one to Hermione. He would have to be quicker and see things clearer. As he kept picking up and passing, looking for his final card, he could hear stifled giggling and shushing. He looked up and realized that all the spoons were taken. He laughed.

"I guess I lose," Harry picked up a can. "That's hard work, Hermione. I don't know how you did it."

Harry lifted the can and chugged down the soda as fast as he could. He couldn't help the burp that escaped his mouth.

And the rounds continued. At one point, both Harry and Ron grabbed a spoon at the same time, and they played Rock Paper Scissors to see who would get the spoon. Ron won two games and Harry chugged his fourth can of soda.

At another point, Hermione snatched a spoon and used her arm to fling all the other spoons across the floor. The boys scrambled after the spoons, falling over each other and wrestling for a spoon. Neville lost the battle and had to chug down a soda.

The game continues, the kids growing louder and Hermione and Harry shushing everyone occasionally. By the time they ended the game, Draco had downed seven sodas, Harry had eight, Hermione was in the lead with only five, Neville in second with six, and Ron had drunk ten cans of soda.

Ron was drinking his eleventh, and he let out a loud belch when he was done. Every laughed, even Hermione.

Then, they switched the game to spin the spoon. They lined up the worst of the muggle and wizard candy in a circle around a spoon. Then they each took turns spinning the spoon and they had to eat whatever it pointed to.

Draco went first and landed on muggle fireball candies. He picked one up and read the label.

"These don't catch on fire, do they?" he asked.

"Of course not," Hermione said. "They're just hot."

"Great," Draco said, slowly tearing the wrapper off. He gave the small candy a hesitant lick before popping it in his mouth. He frowned as he sucked for a couple seconds, everyone watching his face closely. His eyes suddenly widened and watered and his face gave scrunched up in dislike. He kept sucking on it, however, until he felt that his teeth could crunch it.

Hermione took her turn while Draco finished his fireball. She landed on gummy spiders and she took three from the bag and playfully wiggled them around and dropping them into her mouth while Draco, Ron, and Neville watched horrified. Harry laughed but didn't bother telling them that the spiders were like any other gummy and not real.

Neville took his turn and ended up with pop rocks. Everyone laughed at his many startled expressions as he ate the strange crackling candy.

Ron landed on a gummy bug tape candy.

"What!?" Ron said as he pulled on he gummy, unraveling it to reveal more bug gummies stuck to the gummy tape. "These are just gummies right?"

"Yes, Ron," Harry encouraged. "Just eat it."

Ron forced the end of the tape in his mouth and began chewing, puling more and more in. His expression changed from fearful to interested and he ate it faster.

"That was delicious!" he exclaimed. "I'll eat bugs any day!"

"How about these chocolate crickets?" Hermione challenged, holding up the box of them. "They're real."

"Eww!" Ron, Neville, and Draco said.

Hermione opened the box and dropped a whole cricket in her mouth, chewing loudly.

"That's revolting!" Draco said.

"You actually like real bugs?" Neville asked.

"I better not land on those," Ron mumbled.

"My turn," Harry said eagerly, spinning the spoon.

It pointed to pickle mints. Harry made a face as he picked up the candy. Everyone "ewwed" for him as he opened the package and poured a couple mints into his hand. The smell of a dill pickle drowned his nose and he threw the mints into his mouth. It was terrible! The taste of mints and pickles definitely did not go. Harry scrunched up his face in disgust as he chewed and made himself swallow.

And this game went on. They played more rounds, eating more fireballs, gummies, chocolate frogs, bacon gum balls, cowtails, dragon claws, taffy of all kinds, and skittles and M&Ms mixed together. They drank more cokes as well. Everyone was growing more excited with each round, though that could probably be blamed on the sugar.

As Harry's spoon landed on mentos and he popped a couple in his mouth, his bedrrom door opened and bright light flooded the room, blinding them all.

"What is going on in here?"

* * *

Severus could hear the laughter from his study. He decided to ignore it at first, thinking that the boys had engaged in a pillow fight before falling to sleep. It had grown quieter for a while, but then it was unmistakably loud. Growling, Severus stormed out of his study and up the stairs. He realized that the guest room door was open and he glanced inside. Hermione was not in the bed.

Furious, Severus opened his son's bedroom door and flicked the light switch.

The sight that met his eyes nearly made him step back and do a double take.

There were empty soda cans everywhere, as well as candy wrappers of all kind scattered all over the floor. The kids were sitting in a circle, though they all fell over when he turned the light on – clenching their eyes shut – but they had even more candy in a circle around a spoon. And Harry was currently the one eating something.

"What is going on in here?" he yelled.

"We're playing spin the spoon," Draco informed with a goofy smile. "Is that a problem?"

Everyone laughed. No one child seemed concerned with his anger, not even Neville.

"Want to play, Uncle Sev?"

Severus glared at Draco but turned his eyes on Harry.

"Harry," Severus scolded, "spit it out."

Harry leaned over an opened can of soda and dropped whatever was in his mouth into the can. Severus realized it must have been mentos when the soda began fizzing out of the can, spreading all over the floor. The kids fell over laughing while Severus seethed.

"Damn it, Harry," Severus snapped, pulling out his wand and banishing the mess.

Draco picked up another can of soda and opened it.

"Draco, no," Severus marched forward. "Give that to me, your done!"

Draco chugged the drink down as fast as he could before letting out a loud belch, earning fits of laughter from the other kids, before giving the can to Severus who glared down at him. Then Severus saw Neville.

"Mr. Longbottom, put the candy down! No more!"

Neville, for the first time, didn't even tremble as he met Severus's eyes and popped the fizzing whizzbees into his mouth. He began to float a few inches off the ground. Everyone laughed and scrambled forward to get some of the candy, wanting to float as well. Severus flicked his wand and all the soda and candy disappeared to the kitchen where Severus could dispose of it all later.

"Aww!" Everyone groans.

Neville dropped back down to the ground, landing on wobbly feet.

"That is enough! To bed, all of you!"

"But we're not tired," Hermione said from where she sat on the floor. "Ten more minutes."

"Miss Granger, I expected more from you, young lady," Severus scolded.

"Everyone always does," the girl whined, falling over on her back with dramatic flair. "I'm not a role model, you know! I'm not anything! I just want ten more minutes."

"We can have a pillow fight in ten more minutes," Draco said, grabbing his pillow and smacking Harry with it and then Ron, who both fell to the floor to grab a pillow, Draco falling as well to keep beating on them. Neville grabbed a blanket and draped it over the three other boys, trapping them under it mid fight. The boys wrestled each other under the blanket while Hermione and Neville watched on laughing.

No one is listening, Severus thought angrily. Exasperated and a bit overwhelmed, Severus did the one thing that came to mind.

"Dormeo!" he shouted, swirling his wand the slightest.

The three boys under the blanket toppled over each other and went still. Neville collapsed to the ground and Severus quickly cast a cushioning charm before he hit the floor. Hermione simply fell asleep where she was on the ground. Reeling in his temper, Severus rubbed at his temples before banishing the empty cans and candy wrappers to the trash and recycling.

He rearranged the sleeping bags and put the boys one by one in their respective bags, tucking them each in, knowing they wouldn't wake up from the movements. His hand lingered in his son's hair for a moment. He smiled down at his mischievous boy and ruffled the hair, dragging his hand along Harry's cheek before standing.

He gathered Hermione in his arms and as he carried her back to the guest room, Sam's white mist flew to his side and solidified into the fox, who trotted at his side, smirking up at him.

 _: Entertaining night?_

"I'm starting to regret this sleepover," Severus admitted as he laid Hermione on the bed and covered her with a blanket. "And I swear if you had anything to do with that stash in Harry's room . . ."

 _: Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you,_ Sam smirked, tilting his head, his ears flicking in amusement. He smiled at Hermione, using his nose to gently push her dangling hand up on to the bed. _At least they're asleep now._

"Hopefully, they have no nightmares from all that sugar they consumed."

Severus turned off the light in the guest room and checked on the boy's one last time, smiling at Harry's peaceful sleeping face.

 _: I'm sure they're dreaming of all the fun they've had today._

Severus turned out the light and shut his son's bedroom door and let the kids sleep.

* * *

Harry smiled as he watched Sam, in human form, spin the ball on the kendama, the red ball circling around at the end of its string lightning fast, before Sam tugged and caught the ball in a cup on the side, then tossing it up and catching it in the cup at the base, tossing it again to drop the ball to hit against his foot and jump up to the point of the kendama, stabbing the ball where the hole was.

In human form, Sam wasn't very tall, about 5'8 to 5'9. However, Sam was well built and had tanned skin. His unchanged fox ears hid in his bushy red hair, but his yellow fox eyes were clear as day, and when he opened his mouth, his retracted fox teeth were still there, sharp and shiny.

Everyone clapped as Sam finished his tricks. The kitsune gave a deep bow playfully.

"Now you try, Harry," Sam said, holding out the wooden toy.

"Do that?"

"Of course not," Sam said, standing behind Harry and adjusting Harry's hold on the kendama. "We'll start with the basics. Bend your knees slightly – not that much, we're not skiing! There, now just move with the ball, pull it up to land in this cup here."

Harry yanked on the toy and the string pulled the ball up and Sam moved Harry forward slightly to catch the ball in the cup.

"Very good," Sam encouraged. "Just remember, where the ball goes, you follow. You don't want to hit yourself in the face, now do you?"

"No," Harry smiled as he tried the move again. And again. Until he no longer needed Sam's aid with the one move.

"Once you master the basics, you'll be able to create your own little tricks."

"I want to try! May I try? Please?" the other kids asked.

"Alright, alright, one at a time. Ladies first."

"How come it's always ladies first?" Draco pouted, crossing his arms and glaring at Hermione as she stepped over to Sam and accepted the kendama from Harry. "She's not even a lady."

"Then what am I?" Hermione snapped at Draco as she allowed Sam to guide her movements to control the red ball dangling towards the ground.

"A half-grown kid with an attitude," Draco answered.

Hermione simply gave Draco a look before trying the move without Sam's aid, smiling as she quickly mastered the basics.

Harry joined his father in the kitchen and stared down at the food on the fryer. He frowned.

"What are you making?"

"Scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast," Severus said, looking down at his son.

"Wait, I thought you were going to make chocolate chip pancakes with Nutella and whip?"

"I was," the man confirmed. "But I decided that the five of you had enough sugar last night to last you a lifetime."

Severus glared at Harry.

"I said I was sorry about that."

"You're not sorry about that. You're simply sorry that you were caught and that you're not getting a sugary breakfast. Go set the table."

Harry sighed and grabbed plates and silverware to set the table. He put cups out and set apple and orange juice in the middle of the table, along with butter and marmalade for the toast.

"Breakfast is ready!" Harry shouted.

Everyone came running from the living room to the dining room, but quickly slowed to a halt as Severus walked out from the kitchen, crossing his arms and glaring at the children. This was the first the other four kids had seen Severus that morning, and the events of last night rushed back to them, and they blushed and lowered their heads. Severus merely raised an eyebrow.

"We're sorry about last night, sir," Hermione began, taking the lead. "I meant no disrespect, I swear."

"Me too," Neville and Ron said.

"Yeah, me too," Draco added. "Sorry Uncle Sev."

"Thank you for your apologies," Severus said with a nod. "Sit down and start eating some healthy food."

Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and sat at the large table and began serving themselves from the platters Severus set out on the table. Sam returned in fox form once more and Severus set a bowl of food (mostly sausage) down for the fox, who ate away immediately.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Professor," Hermione said, remembering her manners. Which was more than could be said for the boys, but they did nod in agreement.

"Your welcome," Severus said. "And as for last night, I will refrain from informing your parents as you were merely trying to have more fun. However, if you ever visit my house again and pull a stunt as such, you will find yourselves back home immediately with a report to your parents."

"Yes, sir," everyone chorused.

After breakfast, everyone packed their bags and Neville, Draco, and Ron left by floo and Hermione waited for her parents to arrive.

"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Severus greeted at the door. "Please, come in."

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Mr. Granger said.

"It's a lovely home, you have here," Mrs. Granger said. "And again, I'm sorry we couldn't stay for the party yesterday, we would have loved to, but . . ."

Severus held up a hand politely, "It's nothing to be concerned about. I appreciate letting your daughter attend my son's sleepover."

"We were ecstatic when she received the invitation," Mrs. Granger continued. "She had such few friends growing up and now look at her! It's so wonderful to see. I was so worried for her going away to school but it seems she's fitting in nicely."

"And she is a brilliant young lady," Severus added.

The Grangers smiled proudly.

"It was a great sleepover, Harry," Hermione said. "I had a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me."

"You're my best friend, Hermione. Of course I'd invite you."

Hermione quickly hugged Harry, who returned it, before gathering her bag and blanket and saying goodbye to Severus and thanking him one last time.

After everyone was gone, Harry hugged his father, smiling up at him.

"This was the best birthday ever!" Harry said. "I really enjoyed the sleepover and spending time with my friends."

"I'm glad," Severus said, resting a hand on Harry's head. "But if I ever find a hidden stash like the one you had last night, you'll be grounded from candy and soda for life."

"Okay, Dad," Harry chuckled. "Grounded for life. Got it."

* * *

If you don't know what a kendama is, I recommend going on youtube and typing in "kendama tricks." It'll give you the best idea and you'll see some cool tricks! I've yet to master anything as stylish.

Dormeo translates to "go to sleep" or "rest" or "do nothing" depending on the context.

I hope you enjoyed Harry's sleepover adventure! Please leave your thoughts!


	4. Severus's Birthday Present

Thanks for all the reviews! This is a short chapter, but essential to the story. Kind of like the first! I am trying to work on all my stories, but ideas for some just flow better than for others. Here's the next chapter!

* * *

Sam trotted through the woods in the back of the town's houses, fox-sized to blend in with other woodland animals. The town wasn't far from Snape Manor, just about an eight-minute walk or a three-minute bike ride. Sam enjoyed watching the simple life of humans, especially the many children and their families. It was completely different from what he had been used to seeing – hunters after his family, dark wizards betraying him, prisoners and prison bars – his interaction with humans had been rather poor before meeting the Snape family.

Sam paused near the park, watching as a young girl flipped a penny into the large fountain statue of some historic human. Sam tilted his head and focused his ear.

"I wish," the little girl was saying, closing her eyes tightly. "I wish my daddy would come home from work and play with me. I wish he wasn't always so busy. Oh, wait, that's two wishes."

Sam snorted as the girl pulled out another coin and tossed it in. She was a desperate one. Sam had seen cases like this before – parents who didn't spend enough time with their children, focusing on their work more.

Sam lifted a paw and touched the dragon tooth that hung around his neck. The tooth that came from a rare Shenlong, a type of Chinese dragon.

 _: Give the small girl what she desires,_ Sam commanded the tooth.

The tooth gave off a strange bluish glow and Sam stood his ground as the wind blew strongly, shifting time, playing with fate, giving in to what was asked. A magic so ancient and powerful it bordered on dark and dangerous. The little girl fell over from the wind's force and a lady, the mother Sam assumed, rushed over to her and stood her back up. Sam smiled as the lady fussed over the girl and the child whined that she was fine.

A dark colored Volkswagen pulled up in front of the park. A man stepped out and walked over to the lady and her daughter.

"Daddy!" the little girl cried and ran over to the man. The man picked her up.

"Honey, what are you doing home from work?" the woman asked.

"Boss gave me a promotion," the man smiled, hugging his daughter tightly. The woman gasped and then smiled and hugged her husband once he set the girl down. "And he gave me a three-week vacation starting now. I think we should head t the beaches. Maybe even France."

"Yay!" the little girl cheered, jumping up and down. "My wish came true!"

"Was that your wish, sweetheart?" the man said, smiling down at her. "To go on vacation?"

"With you, Daddy," the girl smiled.

Sam watched as the family walked together to the car and drove away, the smile never leaving his face. He enjoyed doing this when he could, walking through the town and giving hope and wishes to those he felt deserved it. Then, his smile faltered and he waited for the inevitable. The ancient magic the tooth had was powerful and granted whatever the wearer desired . . . at a price. There was always a price for using the dragon tooth's magic.

The wind blew again, stronger and with more brute. Sam stumbled slightly where he sat, catching himself from tumbling with the wind, his eyes closing and his fur flying everywhere. When he opened his eyes, he saw a nest on the ground near his feet. Three little European robin chicks still inside the nest, but dead.

Sam sighed. To help one family come together, he tore another family apart, killing little chicks. Was it worth it? He sometimes wished he could control the prices that had to be paid but that would forever be out of his control.

Sam turned and left the park, trotting back to Snape Manor. Severus and Harry should be returning from their little day trip soon. Sam knew that if he was careful with what he demanded from the necklace, the prices he paid wouldn't be too devastating.

* * *

"Dad! Let's do the Runaway Train again, please?" Harry asked. "And then we can do Dragon Falls, and then we can do the Zufari."

"Harry, it's three fifty," Severus informed. "The park closes at five. I'm not sure we'll get to all of those within the hour with how the lines have been today. Besides, aren't you the least bit tired. We've been going since ten this morning."

"I know!" Harry smiled. "This has been great! If we hurry we can do them really fast."

"I could use a drink, to be honest," Severus argued.

"How about this?" Sirius suggested, joining the two after stopping in the men's room. "I take Harry and see if we can fit in those last few things and you pick us up some drinks. I could use one of those frozen lemonades again."

Sirius handed Severus a few pounds for the drink. Harry nodded.

"I could use one, too, Dad."

"You're costing me a fortune," Severus said. "That will be your third today."

"Thanks! Come on, Uncle Sirius, the line for the Runaway Train is getting longer!" Harry insisted, pulling his uncle towards the roller coaster.

"We'll meet you back here, Severus," Sirius said, allowing Harry to pull him away.

Severus shook his head. Besides allowing the sleepover, Severus had gotten Harry tickets to Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park, zoo, and hotel complex in Greater London, for his Birthday. Sirius had quickly gotten a ticket to join the two as well, and did most of the rides Severus didn't think he could handle, especially that one that lifted you high in the air and spun you. How terrible. Sirius didn't seem to care much about spinning and flipping and went on the ride twice with Harry. Severus did go on the Runaway Train coaster with his son and he did the Dragon Falls water ride with the boy twice. They had also done several other rides as well as watched some special side shows – one with birds that flew around the audience and another was more of a live-action show with pirates looking for gold.

It had been a fun day though and Severus didn't regret one bit of it. He would have gotten Sam a ticket, but the fox had declined when Severus asked, stating he didn't do well in such tourist attractions that generated a lot of "humans." Severus didn't push Sam to join them, though Harry tried enough for the both. Severus had to scold Harry to stop and to leave Sam alone.

But the day had been a blast.

Severus gathered the three frozen lemonade drinks: a blue for his son, a red for Sirius, and a plain for Severus. He sipped at his while he waited for the two to return, discreetly casting a chilling spell on the drinks. At least the weather stayed true all week and the day was sunny and warm. After forty-five minutes, Sirius and Harry rejoined Severus. Sirius sat down and started drinking his lemonade.

"The line for the Runaway Train took forever!" Harry explained as he sat in the chair closest to Severus. "We finally got on but there was only enough time for one more ride. So, since we already did the Dragon Falls a couple times, we decided to go on the Zufari, just in time, too. They had to cut the line and we were the last ones. We were so close to not being able to go on." Harry took a long sip of his drink. "Then, we saw giraffes, zebras, rhinos and . . . and we entered this huge cave! And then we got splashed at the end and . . . and . . ."

"Slow down, Harry," Severus smiled. "Drink more of your drink. It sounds like the safari was fun."

"A Zufari!" Harry corrected, sipping from his lemonade. "It was great. You missed it!"

"I've been on it before," Severus smiled. "With your mother, actually."

"Really?"

"Really. And she enjoyed it as much as you did. It was her favorite thing to do here."

"What's been your favorite, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"I really liked the Runaway Train."

"Really?" Severus raised an eyebrow in mock disbelief. "I'd never guess with your four trips on it."

"Haha, Dad. I also liked the Dragon Falls ride. And the Vampire! That was fun."

"That nearly made me sick," Sirius said, remembering soaring through the treetops with that ride.

"That was fun! But my favorite has to be . . . Dragon Falls!"

"And it's decided," Severus smirked. "The park closes in ten minutes, son. Would you like to stop in the gift shop before we leave?"

"Yeah, I promised Ron I'd get him something!"

"What exactly were you thinking to get him?"

"Just a big variety of muggle treats."

"Ah, you wanted to stop in the sweet shop."

Harry nodded.

"You may get a small bag for your friend and another small bag for yourself."

"Okay."

"And I'll pack a large bag for the days you come and visit," Sirius winked at Harry, ignoring Severus's glare and smiling back at Harry's wide grin.

Once they arrived at the gift shop, Harry started creating his own Pick and Mix, throwing in candy floss, bubble gum of different flavors, popcorn, lollipops, and as much as he could fit in the bag Severus approved of. He would send his snowy owl, Hedwig, to the Burrow to deliver the goods later. After Severus paid for the treats, Harry was allowed to have one of the candies and he popped a large lollipop in his mouth. He, his father, and Sirius walked out of the entrance and headed to their apparating point, a good fifteen-minute walk away from the park.

"Thanks for coming, Uncle Siri," Harry said, smiling at his uncle.

"It was my pleasure," Sirius said, pulling Harry into a one-armed hug and ruffling the boy's hair. Harry laughed and pulled away.

"This has been fun," Harry continued. "I wish Sam could have come with us, too."

"I don't think Sam would have enjoyed the crowds as much," Severus said. "In my opinion, he's a little over suspicious of other humans."

"Yeah, he thinks everyone is an assassin!"

"Does he really?" Sirius smirked.

"He's just paranoid," Severus said. "Besides, I'm sure he's enjoying the peace and quiet at home."

"He always has peace and quiet," Harry argued.

"Not when you're around. Then it's twenty questions and "let's play this, let's play that," Severus teased.

"I'm not like that!"

"Are too. I'm sure Sam's loving it right now."

"I'll ask him when we get back."

"Go right for it."

"I'm afraid I have to depart," Sirius said as they arrived at their apparating point and out of sight of muggles. "Come give me one last hug, tiger cub."

Harry ran into his uncle's arms happily. Sirius squeezed him and ruffled his hair.

"I'll see you soon," Sirius said. "Bye Harry, Severus."

Sirius disapparated.

"Ready, son?"

"I guess. I'm going to miss that park."

"I'll plan another daytrip there. But we can't live there. So, let's head on home."

Harry wrapped his arms around his father and they disapparated.

"Sam! We're back!" Harry cried as he ran through the house looking for the fox. "Sam?"

Harry looked by the dog bed in the living room, then upstairs in the bedrooms. Then downstairs in the kitchen. Then out of the porch where Sam occasionally liked to bask in the sun. Where was Sam? He had been sleeping in his dog bed when they had left. Of course, Harry didn't expect him to stay there all day, but the fox didn't do that much during the day time in the summer. Sam liked being lazy and sleeping until hunting time at night.

"Dad! I can't find Sam!"

"I'm sure he's around Harry. It's almost dinner time. He wouldn't miss it if his life depended on skipping one meal."

Harry smiled and followed his father's voice to the man's study.

"Can we go look for him outside?"

"You can," Severus said, scanning the parchment and muggle letters Phantom had delivered earlier. "I need to see what mail came today. I'm hoping the bills are here. They were late last month."

"Can we go look for him as tigers?"

Severus paused and looked at Harry. He was silent for a moment before sighing and setting the mail down.

"Fine. But not for too long. I need to start dinner soon and then look through mail."

Harry grinned and ran back outside, not even waiting for Severus to appear out the door before shifting into Faolan, his tiger Animagus. He was about half the size of Freyr, his father's Animagus. He remembered when he was no bigger than Freyr's paws. He liked being a bigger tiger, he felt more intimidating, though it also meant his rough play with Freyr hurt more since Freyr could be just as rough playing back.

Freyr joined Faolan and they trotted towards the back of the woods, looking around for the missing kitsune.

 _"Sam!"_ Faolan yowled repeatedly. _"Where are you? Do you think he can hear me?"_

 _"I think half of the UK can hear you,"_ Freyr answered.

 _"Sam!"_ Faolan tried again.

 _: I disagree. I think half of Africa can hear you._

 _"Sam!"_

Sam approached the two tigers from a path in the trees. He was still fox-sized, but Faolan was proud to say that he was larger than Sam even at the kitsune's largest size – that of a wolf.

 _: Did you enjoy your trip?_

 _"It was so much fun! It would have been even more fun if you were with us."_

 _: I doubt that. I'm glad you had fun. It's been peaceful and quiet back here, though. I found it quite relaxing._

 _"What did I_ _say,"_ Freyr smirked.

Faolan snarled and leaped at Freyr, who rolled over playfully and wrestled the half-grown cub to the ground. Faolan tried his best to tackle the larger tiger and keep him pinned down, but Freyr still overpowered him.

 _"Alright! Alright!"_ Faolan mewed as he was pinned. _"You win!"_

 _"I always do,"_ Freyr smirked with a satisfied purr.

 _"I'll get you one of these days,"_ Faolan growled, standing to his feet. _"I'll have you begging for my mercy."_

Sam smiled at the two tigers, remembering a time in his childhood when he wrestled with his father. He snapped out of his reverie when Faolan tried to pounce on him. He jumped out of the way just in time, watching as the tiger landed at his side.

 _: Nice try_ , Sam said before looking at Freyr. _What's for dinner?_

 _"Always thinking about your stomach,"_ Freyr huffed, shaking his head. Freyr looked around the woods as he thought up of something. _"There's always rabbit. I could make my infamous rabbit stew."_

 _"Ooh, yummy,"_ Faolan licked his lips.

 _: Very well. Faolan, go fetch us a rabbit._

 _"Why me?"_

 _: Because you're the only one out of us who's never caught one._

 _"Fine, I'll give it a go."_

Faolan searched the trees until he spotted a rabbit among a patch of blue flowers. He lowered himself and crept towards it, his paws inaudible as they hit the ground. He was so close to it now, and it had yet to recognize any danger, just kept nibbling on its flowers happily.

Crack!

Faolan froze as he stepped on a stick that broke under his paw. The rabbit jumped and looked around, its whole body seeming to sway back and forth. Faolan lowered himself as much as he could, hoping the rabbit wouldn't see him. It must have because it turned and bolted.

Faolan leaped forward and ran after the rabbit, trying to keep up with the tiny thing. It was gaining distance though, getting further and further away from him. Just as he was afraid he was going to lose it, Freyr leaped out from the side and landed perfectly on the rabbit, snapping its spine.

Faolan groaned, upset that he hadn't caught the bunny.

 _: Here's a little tip for you, Fay,_ Sam called to him from up in a branch. Fay was a nickname Sam had taken to calling Faolan. _Unless you're working in a team, a runaway rabbit is a lost cause._

 _"Thanks,"_ Faolan spat bitterly.

 _: Of course,_ the fox smirked, his tails swinging from the high branch.

Back at the house, when everyone but Sam was back in human form, Harry sent his package to Ron while waiting on the rabbit stew. The smell of it was making his stomach growl. He couldn't wait to eat dinner. He walked back downstairs and saw Sam lying on his bed, resting his head.

"Sam?"

 _: Yes?_

"I don't think you've ever told me this, but when is your birthday? Even if we never celebrate it, I'd like to know."

 _: It's in April._

"April when?"

 _: How should I know? I haven't celebrated it since I was born?"_

"Oh. Well, I'll give you a date and we can celebrate it just while you're with us."

 _: If you must._

"I can't make it April first – that's the twins birthday. Maybe somewhere in the middle? How about the twelfth?"

 _: Why because you're twelve?_

"How'd you guess?"

Sam smiled at Harry's cheeky face.

"So if it's in April, how old did you just turn?"

 _: Thee hundred and nine._

"Wow! So you'll be three hundred and ten next year! That's old! I don't think we have enough candles for that."

 _: In human standards, yes,_ Sam laughed. _But for a kitsune, I'm not even middle aged yet._

"Dinner's ready. Come on you two."

Harry and Sam joined Severus at the dining table (Sam at their feet) to enjoy the rabbit stew.

* * *

Again, I apologize for how short it is. But now you all know what Sam's necklace can do (and why he may be so obsessed with it). That is important to the story and you'll learn more along the way. I hope you liked Severus's birthday present for his son. Anyone ever been to Chessington's? Let me know in your review!


	5. Restriction

Once again, thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

* * *

"Nathan, wait up!" Harry called to his friend as the boy pedaled past the park fountain and into the woods behind it. Harry pedaled faster, trying to catch up to Nathan's bike, Sam running alongside him.

Nathan was another twelve-year-old boy who Harry met a few years back at the playground. He was a dark-skinned, slender kid and lived in the town near Snape Manor. They played together at the park and became friends quickly, inviting each other over to birthdays or fun family events. Nathan had been out of town during his birthday, so he couldn't invite Nathan over. Although more importantly, Nathan didn't know anything about the wizarding world, so it would have been hard explaining some things to him about his other friends (especially with the first soda thing). Severus had recommended that Harry not tell his muggle friends for the time being.

Harry caught up to Nathan and rode at his side, Sam trailing the two bikes.

According to Sam, he had illusioned himself to look like a Labrador dog for Nathan. When Harry looked at Sam, he still saw the three-tailed fox, just at a larger size. Sam told him that was because Harry knew what he was looking at and his brain broke through the illusion. Nathan had no idea and just saw a yellow lab.

"Watch out for the fallen trees, Harry!" Nathan yelled, charging forward and jumping his bike over a cluster of toppled over shrubs. Harry quickly followed his lead and managed to jump his bike over, Sam leaping at his side. They raced for a while longer before traveling downhill where Harry passed Nathan.

"Harry, slow down! Look out!"

A wide section of the river that looped around the town cut through this part of the woods – and Harry was rolling right for it! Harry thought about applying his brakes but he was speeding too fast down the hill and he was sure he'd flip into the water if you tried to stop now. He pedaled faster and hoped the bike would make the jump over the river. He angled it for a small rise in the ground and felt himself fly through the air.

He heard Sam barking and his friend's bike's brakes squealing to a halt. He hit the ground roughly and fell over, sliding across the ground a bit, his own bike's metal scratching up his bare legs. He heard a loud rip. His head bounced off the dirt. He grimaced, he had forgotten his helmet when he left that afternoon, but stood and lifted his hands in victory.

"Whoo!" Harry shouted.

"Have you lost your marbles?" Nathan shouted to him, a huge smile on his face. "Your dog has more sense than you."

Sam barked at Harry from the other side of the river. He sat down and tilted his head at Harry.

"That was brilliant!" Harry smiled. "You should try it."

"You ripped your shirt!" Nathan laughed. "I hope that wasn't expensive! Your dad's going to kill you."

Harry looked down at his red shirt. It was torn from under his arm to the front, but at least it didn't tear completely that it was falling off him. It wasn't an expensive shirt, but it would still reveal where exactly Harry had been biking. Severus had told him to stay in town and out of the woods.

"I don't think he'll mind," Harry lied easily. "It's an old shirt anyway."

"Brilliant! Look, I got to head back home before dinner. The sun's setting and my old man will go to spar if I'm not home before the street lamps come on."

"Same. I should head back home as well."

"Good luck crossing that river! Bye Harry, later Sam."

Sam watched Nathan bike back up the hill and disappear from sight before looking at Harry.

 _: One second, Harry. I'll illusion up a bridge._

Sam stared hard at the river and a large plank of wood appeared, forming a way across. Harry stared intently at the wood and it suddenly became transparent, revealing the rushing waters below. Harry blinked and the wood returned to opaque.

 _: Do not think of it as an illusion or you'll break it and fall through._

"I still don't understand how that even works!" Harry said to Sam, collecting his bike and stopping just before the plank.

 _: It's complicated. It really focuses on perception and fooling the brain and the world around you. Gravity is a bit tricky to fool but not impossible. Just cross quickly and think of walking the plank like a pirate._

Harry sighed and shakily stepped on the plank, trying to enforce his imagination to avoid seeing through the illusion. He stared down at the wood, thinking about how cool it would be if he were truly on a pirate's ship and being made to walk the plank. He was halfway across when he started thinking about why he would be the one walking the plank. He would be the captain!

As his thoughts strayed, the wood beneath him grew unsteady and suddenly transparent. Harry let go of the bike as he felt himself fall. Sam lunged forward and bit down on Harry's tattered shirt and yanked him to safety, though Harry's shorts did end up soaked. Sam dragged Harry all the way on to dry land and released him.

"Thanks, Sam," Harry said, sitting up and looking back at the river. "Bloody hell, my bike."

He watched dismayed as his bike was carried downstream, sinking deeper and deeper in the water.

 _: I'm not fetching it,_ Sam decided. _Catching you was work enough._

"Dad's going to kill me!" Harry slapped his hands over his face. "It's going to take longer to walk back now and it's already getting dark. And my shirt is ruined, I'm muddy and wet – I obviously did not stay in town for bike riding, I've lost my bike . . ."

 _: You're bleeding._

Harry looked down to where Sam was looking. His inner left thigh and calf was scratched up by the metal and bleeding slightly. A large bruise was forming in his inner thigh, along with several smaller ones here and there. Sam's eyes trailed up and he tilted his head. Harry felt something tickle his forehead and he touched the side of his head where he had hit the ground. His hand pulled away with blood. It wasn't much, thankfully.

"Great," muttered Harry as he stood. "Do you know the quickest way home? Can you fly me there?"

 _: My mist can't really pick things up, especially people. Sorry, Harry._

"That's fine. Let's go before it gets any darker."

The walk back home was nerve wracking. Harry kept trying to think of excuses to say that his father might buy. He and his friend were jumped and roughed up by some older kids who then took off with their bikes. But what if Severus called Nathan's parents? That would blow his whole story. Maybe he didn't mean to go into the woods but he didn't turn the bike soon enough and tumbled down the hill, falling into the river which Sam had to rescue him from. That could work.

 _: I advise against it,_ Sam suddenly spoke.

"It's not like you'll get in trouble," Harry said. "He never yells at you."

 _: And how do you know? What if he prefers to speak to me in private?_

"Why would he do that?"

 _: Because I am still an adult. And adults like to talk without children present._

"Oh," Harry had never thought about conversations between Severus and Sam when he wasn't around.

But Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Severus the truth – that he had agreed to race Nathan through the woods before running into the river and having to jump over it. Then Sam having to help him cross it and then losing his bike. Some story. At least Sam was still at his side. He liked the comfort the kitsune offered. The sky was dark by the time his house was in sight.

He slowly opened the door and quietly shut it behind him. He listened for noise in the house. He didn't hear anything, but he could smell food on the stove. Chicken.

Harry decided his best bet was to make a dash for his room and change before his father got a good look at him. Sam was still standing next to him, fox-sized now, and staring up at him.

Harry quickly rushed for the stairs, Sam trotting at his heels. He had climbed three steps when an ominous voice called:

"Harry Severus."

Harry grimaced and Sam whined and looked up at him, his ears falling back. Retreating down the steps, Harry walked slowly to the kitchen, his stomach suddenly fluttering with butterflies. He was a sight, alright. And his father wouldn't miss a scratch. Harry entered the kitchen, momentarily glad his father's back was turned, facing the stove and tending to the chicken strips. Sam sat at Harry's heels.

"Do you," Severus began, not turning yet, "have any idea what time it is? I would also like for you to explain why you left your helmet here when I told you to remember to wear it."

"I forgot the helmet," Harry said. "I didn't mean to forget it, I just –"

"You didn't mean to forget it?" Severus snapped as he forcefully set the tongs down. "How do you . . ."

Severus turned and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"What in Merlin's name happened to you?"

Severus rushed forward and checked Harry over, brushing a hand over the cut on Harry's head and looking at the boy's leg where the metal had cut him up.

"I . . . fell off my bike."

"All of this by falling off your bike?" Severus frowned at the tattered shirt, squatting to study Harry's leg injury. "No, I don't think so. Try again. What really happened?"

"But I did fall off my bike, really! Nathan and I were riding a little close to the woods and I got too close and fell over and tumbled down the hill a bit. That's how my shirt got ripped. I think some metal caught it or something. And I hit my head and the bike scratched my legs."

"Your shorts are wet," Severus noticed, looking up at his son's face. "Care to explain that?"

"I . . . fell into a puddle."

Severus glared at his son and Sam used a paw to cover his eyes, whining in exasperation.

"Bring your bike in. I want to have a look at it."

Harry paled. Severus stood, cast a drying charm on Harry, and summoned a couple different potions. Sam looked up at Harry, wondering what his next move would be. Harry gulped and tried to think of an explanation for what happened to his bike while Severus flipped the chicken on the stove. The man turned back around and frowned at Harry.

"Well? Go get your bike."

"I . . . uhh, well, I kind of . . ."

"You what? Harry if your bike is wrecked . . ."

"No, not wrecked. It's kind of . . . gone."

"It's kind of gone? Explain."

"When I fell, it kind of fell into . . . the river."

"It fell into the river. The one about a half mile into the woods?"

Harry nodded, his face flushing and burning.

"I thought you said you were a little close to the woods."

Harry shrugged. Snarling, Severus grabbed Harry and turned him, swatting him twice. Harry ground his teeth but didn't try and pull away. Severus kept a grip on his arm as he questioned him.

"If you weren't already injured, I'd put you over my knees and beat some sense into you! I want the truth from you now! Did you go into the woods against my orders?"

"Yes, but I didn't mean to!"

"You didn't mean to bike into the woods?"

"Well, I mean . . ."

"So, you left your helmet here, went into the woods, stayed out later than you were supposed to, and you fell off your bike and injured yourself. Where is your bike?"

"In the river," Harry whispered.

"In the _what_?"

"The river."

"Did you fall into the river?"

"No. I jumped over the river on my bike. I was going down the hill too fast. Sam made a plank thing for me to cross to get back over but it was an illusion and it broke and I fell and dropped the bike. Sam caught me but the bike fell in and sank."

Severus looked down at Sam. "He jumped over the river?"

 _: Astonishing, it was,_ Sam tilted his head, his ears flopping slightly, but his body remained tense, prepared for a tongue lashing.

"And you used some illusion trick to get him across?"

 _: What was I supposed to do, leave him stuck on the other side?_ Sam snarled.

"You could have gotten me! Called me through your telepathy or something. Or walked him to a thinner section of the river where he could have waded through."

 _: I can't think of everything! I just react. I did the first thing that came to mind!_

Severus glared at Sam for a silent few seconds before glaring back at Harry.

"You know better than to lie to me, Harry. You're lucky you let that bike go, it could have dragged you into the water with it! You would have drowned! You have made several bad decisions today, young man. From this point forward, you are on restriction! Go to your room this instant!"

Harry sulked past Severus back to the stairs, Sam not at his heels this time. He sauntered up the stairs, though he still felt upset and a bit angry with his father. For what, he wasn't sure. He had made several bad choices. But why couldn't his father just make him write lines or spank him and be done with it. Why did he have to ground him and drag out his punishment? He hated being grounded.

Harry plopped down on his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He groaned into it then hissed as the pain in his leg began throbbing. Severus hadn't even used the potions he had summoned on his injuries. Harry rolled on his back and stared at his ceiling. Why did he always make things worse? How could he lie to his father? The man always got the truth out of him.

Harry felt tears trail down his cheeks and he angrily wiped at them. He had no reason to cry. Those smacks hadn't even hurt. Besides, he was getting too old to smack. Severus had no right to smack him anymore.

But who was he kidding? It wasn't like he could tell his father no or to stop doing something. He was his father after all. His leg was starting to really ache. At least the bleeding had stopped. Maybe he should clean his leg and face.

Standing up, Harry walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The sight that met him made him do a double take. He barely recognized himself. He was covered in dirt and his shirt was destroyed. A large cut was on his head, but it had stopped bleeding. Harry took a wash cloth and scrubbed his face with warm water and soap and then his leg. Once he looked half way decent, he changed into nightclothes since he figured he'd be in his room for the rest of the evening.

A knock on his door sounded.

"Come in," Harry said, jumping up on his bed.

Severus walked in with a bowl of chicken caesar salad. He set the bowl down on Harry's bedside stand and looked over the cut on Harry's head, brushing aside the boy's hair. Harry could sense that Severus was a lot calmer now.

"I'm surprised you didn't take a shower," Severus remarked, reaching into his robe and pulling out a simple cut solution. He rubbed a generous amount on his son's head. "You are still filthy. There you go. Let me see your leg. I have a bruise balm as well."

Harry stretched out his leg, sliding over so Severus could sit next to him. Severus rubbed the potions over the wounds.

"You will not be getting a new bike for quite some time," Severus said. "If ever. And you are grounded to your room for the remainder of the week. You will not be allowed to go out with any friends, you will not be allowed outside, or be allowed to watch TV or read for leisure. You may work on any school work you haven't finished yet. You will have extra chores around the house and you will be in bed early each night. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said.

"Very well," Severus closed up his containers and pushed the bowl a bit closer to the edge of the bedside stand. "You will eat your dinner in here, tonight. I will be back in an hour to make sure you're under the covers."

"Okay," Harry picked up the bowl and began eating the salad.

Severus ruffled Harry's hair before standing to leave.

"Where's Sam?" Harry asked.

"He just left to go out on a hunt. He'll be back soon, I'm sure."

Harry nodded and took a bite of a tomato, watching Severus leave his room. Some way to end the day. It wasn't even seven o'clock yet. He would be tucked in by eight that night. What twelve-year-old went to bed at eight? This was ridiculous!

He was halfway through his salad when a noise outside his door caught his attention. It sounded like something was crashing into the walls.

Harry set his bowl aside and cautiously approached the door.

"Sam?"

The noise grew louder as it drew near.

"Dad?"

Harry opened the door and peered out. Something small crashed into his door, opening it all the way and falling on top of Harry.

"Harry Snape sir!"

It was a house elf! Harry knew Snape Manor didn't have house elves, but this one seemed so familiar . . .

"Dobby?" Harry asked, pushing the elf off him and standing. The elf looked just like the old Dobby after the elf had been freed from the Malfoys. Harry knew Dobby wasn't a house elf at Malfoy manor in this reality as he had visited Draco several times growing up. He wondered who the elf may belong to this time.

Dobby gasped. "Harry Snape knows Dobby's name! Harry Snape is a great wizard. Such an honor it is to meet you!"

"Umm, thanks. What are you doing here? How do you even know me?"

"Dobby has come to protect Harry Snape, to warn him! Harry Snape must not go back to Hogwarts."

"Not this again," mumbled Harry. "Protect me from what? How do you even know me?"

"Great James Potter freed Dobby many years ago! Saved Dobby from Malfoy family and Dobby promised to protect friends of James Potter and friends' children but Dobby is failing."

Dobby began running around the room and banging his head against the wall.

"Dobby, stop! You don't have to do that! What's wrong? What do you want to protect me from?"

"Bad things will happen at Hogwarts, but Dobby doesn't know what. I is a bad Dobby for not knowing! Dobby works at Hogwarts but Dobby doesn't know the danger Dobby senses!"

Harry remembered that Albus said fate would try to play out as close as possible to the previous reality as it could. Dobby sensed a danger that would happen at Hogwarts in the coming year because of (Harry was guessing) fate. He just didn't know what exactly.

"Dobby knows Hogwarts dangerous! Something bad will happen! Harry Snape must not return to Hogwarts!"

"Don't worry. I have Sam," Harry reassured. "Sam will keep me safe."

"The fox!" Dobby exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Fox dangerous! Dobby senses danger around fox. Harry Snape must get rid of fox."

"Sam? He's not a danger. Well, not to me anyway. He's fine, Dobby."

"No, Harry Snape is in grave danger! Dobby must protect Harry Snape from fox! And Hogwarts!"

"You don't need to do that, Dobby."

"Dobby made promise! Dobby must! If Harry Snape does not go to Hogwarts, fox will not follow! And Hogwarts dangerous! Something is going to happen! Something big!"

Harry frowned at the house elf's logic.

"Dobby, I don't need protection from anything. My dad and Sam will keep me safe."

"If Harry Snape does not listen to Dobby, then Dobby must do what Dobby must do!"

Dobby ran out of Harry's room in a hurry. Harry quickly followed him down the stairs as a memory returned, hoping that Dobby didn't decide to drop pudding on his father's head. He was sure Severus wouldn't appreciate that. The man had just calmed down, too.

Technically, he wasn't supposed to be out of his room. He paused halfway down the stairs and glanced around the living room to make sure his father wasn't in sight. The man must have either gone in his study, lab, or in his room. Dobby continued running towards his father's lab door, opening it and running down the stairs. Harry gasped.

"No, Dobby – stop!" Harry rushed down the rest of the stairs and down into his father's lab. He tried to grab the elf before he could enter the lab.

Dobby slipped away from him and hopped on to one of the tables in the room, where several potions were boiling. His father wasn't in his lab thankfully.

"Dobby," Harry said cautiously, slowly approaching the table. "What are you doing?"

"Harry Snape must get rid of fox and not go to Hogwarts!"

"I can't do that, Dobby."

"Then Dobby must do this!"

Dobby kicked one of the cauldrons, sending it to the floor where it spilt all over.

"Dobby, no!" Harry ran forward and tried to catch the other cauldrons Dobby was kicking. Dobby jumped to the next table and kicked the cauldrons there.

"Dobby, stop! What are you doing!"

"Harry Snape will be grounded and not go to Hogwarts! Then Dobby will get rid of the fox."

"How long do you think my Dad will ground me for? Stop it! Be still!"

Dobby moved to the next table, knocking down the remaining cauldrons. Some potions stained the floor, while others just continued to spread due to its thin consistency.

"Dobby, please. My dad's going to kill me!"

Luckily no other tables had any projects on them. Harry sighed, thinking Dobby was finished, but the elf moved to the shelf where freshly polished cauldrons sat waiting for use. The elf picked one up and threw it with incredible force. The cauldron clanged against the ground, bounced once and rolled way. There was a large dent in the side now.

"Dobby, no!" Harry ran to the elf as another cauldron was thrown. The elf was preparing to throw another one but Harry grabbed his arm and tried to snatch the cauldron. Dobby allowed the cauldron to fall to the ground with a dent in its side. Dobby disapparated out of Harry's grip and reappeared in the supply closet.

"Harry Snape will not go to Hogwarts and get rid of the fox."

Harry gave Dobby a pleading look, hoping that he would have some pity and not ruin his father's supplies.

"Dobby, I can't. I have to go. Even my dad isn't going to keep me from going back. And Sam isn't dangerous. Don't destroy anything in there, please, Dad worked really hard on stocking that."

Dobby returned a sad look before he started throwing containers, vials, and various plants and animal parts out of the closet. Harry's eyes widened and he did his best to catch the flying glass vials and containers. He managed to catch the majority of what could break if it hit the ground, though there was a mess around him. He looked up at Dobby and saw that the elf had two vials of different potions in his hands. He gave Harry one last sad look, his ears dropping, and he mixed the potions together.

The loud explosion rang through the entire house, knocking Harry off his feet, the objects he had shattered on the floor around him. A light gray smoke filled the basement and a ringing deafened Harry's ears. Harry clamped his hands over them and waited it out.

When the ringing stopped, Harry could hear himself coughing and he cleared his throat of the dust. He looked around his father's lab and at the supply closet. Everything was destroyed. He felt tears in his eyes as he stared at the disaster the elf had caused and how disappointed his father would be. The tables had been blown across the room, the legs broken off. One table had been split clean in half. The cauldrons that Dobby hadn't thrown were now all over the room, some dented in may areas while a few were melting slightly.

Dobby was gone.

Harry wiped his eyes and waited for the smoke to clear up. When it did, he realized he wasn't alone in the room.

His father stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the damage, his body tense and breathing heavy.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this! Share your thoughts!


	6. What Did You Do?

Here's the next chapter! Thanks again for all the great reviews! I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

Harry gulped and slowly stood to his feet, coughing a bit from all the gray dust. He was covered in the smoky colored powder and he tried uselessly to wipe off his hands. He looked at his father, whose eyes landed on him.

"What," Severus growled between clenched teeth, his words slow and clear, "the bloody hell did you do?"

"I didn't do this!" Harry insisted.

Severus's mouth fell open as he glared at his son. Harry knew that that statement probably seemed ridiculous and a bit unbelievable.

"What!?" Severus snapped. "Then who the hell did? The fox? Last I knew, he was out hunting and it was just you and I here. Don't you stand there and lie to me, young man. What happened in here?"

"I'm not lying, Dad," Harry felt hot tears burn his cheeks. "I really didn't do this – it was a house elf! His name was –"

"Harry Severus Evans Snape!" Severus shouted. Harry took a cautious step back, more tears trailing from his cheeks, leaving tracks on his gray face. "Do not make up stories! We don't even have a house elf! Never have! And why would one even . . . I mean . . . this is . . ."

Severus seemed to be at a loss for words as he surveyed the destroyed lab. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and took several deep breaths.

"His name was Dobby!" Harry tried again. "He said he works at Hogwarts and that I couldn't go back there because it was dangerous and he told me to get rid of Sam because – well, I don't really know why – he thinks Sam is dangerous and he said he was just trying to protect me, but I told him I didn't need that and I really did try to stop him –"

"Harry," Severus interrupted in a low voice. "Enough."

Harry froze as Severus briskly walked towards him and grabbed his arm roughly. He hoped he hadn't spoken too quickly and his father didn't hear any of what he had said – perhaps believing he was making up some chaotic story. Harry was expecting a smack or even a trip over the man's knees, but instead, Severus gripped his chin and angled his head one way then the other. Severus looked him over for any injuries, keeping him near and still with a maintained grip on the boy's arm. When he was satisfied, he let Harry go and stepped back. Harry stared up at his father nervously.

"Go to your room," Severus commanded, pointing in the direction of the stairway. "I am too furious to deal with you right now. Go."

"But do you believe me?" Harry asked, slowly moving to the stairs.

"I don't know yet," Severus responded. "To your room."

Harry sighed and ran up the stairs and the then next flight to his room. He passed a few knocked down picture frames and fallen books from the shelves in the living room. The explosion really impacted the entire house. Harry entered his room and closed the door behind him. For a moment, he wished he could lock the door, but he knew that wouldn't keep his father out. A simple unlocking charm would suffice – besides, it might make his father angrier.

Harry jumped up on his bed and plopped his face down in his pillow. He hoped his father took all the time he needed to calm down and realize that his son was telling the truth.

* * *

Severus just focused on breathing as he scanned the mess, running another frustrated hand through his hair. Everything was ruined – all of his cauldrons, the potions he had been working on, years of hard work brewing and stocking, five hundred galleons worth of ingredients and valuable potions lost. He had another supply closet upstairs, but it was ten times smaller and didn't hold nearly as much inventory as this one had. Magic could restore the tables and the cauldrons could be taken to a cauldron repair shop, but he would have to restock on everything else.

A house elf. Severus shook his head at the very idea. He had not really caught anything Harry had said earlier, the boy spoke too fast, but he did hear the part of the house elf. And the very idea of a house elf causing such destruction was unbelievable. They just weren't the creatures to do so. Besides, why hadn't the wards alerted him to a new presence in the house?

Deciding to give his son the benefit of the doubt, Severus pulled out his wand and looked for any detection of elvish magic, any trace of something that would indicate a non-human being had been here besides a fox. There was nothing, just a whole lot of fox magic.

Severus checked on the wards surrounding his property. Nothing had been in or out of them in the past twenty-four hours. Severus double checked, this time using a spell that would lift anti-detection magic off his house and the wards. Still, nothing. Such complicated anti-detection spells would have been too difficult for a house elf to perform, unless it was a powerful one, but Severus doubted that. Those were rare – and besides, most house elves were busy tending to families they served. When would one have found the time to come here?

"Harry," Severus muttered under his breath, rubbing his face wearily.

Had his son truly lied to his face? The facts seemed to say so. There was just nothing here that indicated another living source. Unless he was doing something wrong or missing some kind of clue, no house elves have been here. Harry must have lied. But why? After the night the boy had already had, he was truly willing to lie to him again?

Why had the boy even been in his lab?

Severus figured that Harry had decided to throw a tantrum for being grounded and messed around in his potions lab. Harry had done so before years ago when he was five and Severus had stepped out of the lab for a minute. But that time had been different. One, Harry was young and really didn't know better, and two, Harry was still going through tantrum phases.

The boy was twelve years old now. Throwing tantrums weren't as childish as this anymore. They usually just involved a lot of yelling about unfairness and what a overprotective and uncool father Severus was. But this kind of tantrum was uncalled for. Though it could have simply been defiance. There was a lot of that at this age, too, now.

Well, whatever it was, Harry may have never intended to blow up his lab. Accidents were understandable, but that was no reason to lie about what happened. Besides, Harry knew he shouldn't have been in the potions lab without him anyway. And this type of accident could have been completely avoidable.

After several moments of just staring at the mess, Severus decided to leave the lab as it was. He was too upset to deal with any of it for the time being.

Back in the living room, Severus paced around the couch. He had no idea what to do. Harry had lied to him once more, but he really didn't want to punish the boy if he stuck to his silly story. He would have to pry the truth out of him. Maybe negotiate punishments? Perhaps it could work.

Sighing, he climbed up the stairs and to his son's room.

Knocking softly, Severus asked "May I come in, son?"

"Yes Dad," came a muffled voice

Severus entered and approached his son's bed where the boy was lying with his face buried in his pillow. Severus pulled his son's desk chair over and sat in front of the bed. He stared at Harry for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts and pick out what to say first. Harry should at least look at him.

"Harry, sit up and look at me."

There was a split second's hesitation before Harry rolled over and sat up crisscrossed on his bed. He gave his father a curious but uncertain look. Severus sighed again before speaking.

"I want you to tell me the truth about what happened downstairs."

"I did!" Harry insisted with a nod. "Dobby came here and he –"

Not this again. Severus growled in frustration and rubbed at his head.

"Harry, please, work with me son. I know you were mad at me early –"

"I went straight to my room like you told me, I got dressed, you brought food, and I stayed here until that elf showed up. I was just trying to stop him! I would never destroy your lab, Dad. I told you what happened. He did it. It's the truth!"

Severus growled under his breath, growing frustrated once more. He decided he should tell Harry what he had discovered in the lab before the boy kept to this bizarre story.

"I checked the lab and the wards for any possible intrusion. There was nothing. No one but you, me and Sam have been in this house in the last twenty four hours. There was no elf magic, no nothing. Now, I'm trying to be patient with you, son. I will understand if you were mad at me and decided to break my rule of going into my lab alone . . ."

"It's not like that, Dad! Dobby came to me in my room and told me that I was in danger and he kept saying that I can't go to Hogwarts because . . ."

"Harry Severus!" Severus snapped exasperated. "Enough of that! Please! Why in Merlin's name would a house elf do any of that, especially blow up a lab that had over 500 galleons worth of inventory! Do you have any idea how long that took me to stock - the work I put into it – the money!? And why would some random house elf none of us has ever met tell you that you would be in any danger at a well secured school! Why would a house elf come here to Snape Manor at all! Explain that to me, son!"

"I don't know, Dad," Harry was in tears once more. At least the dust was falling off him. "He said you would ground me so I couldn't go to Hogwarts and –"

"Oh, you're about to get a lot more than a grounding, young man."

Harry's eyes filled with tears and he began to sniffle, his shoulders shaking as his breath hitched slightly.

Severus sighed before reaching out and gently holding his son's hands in his own, gently rubbing the smaller hands.

"Look at me, son," Severus encouraged. When the emerald eyes met his, he continued "I will make a deal with you. If you tell me the truth now, I will not spank you and you will write me an essay on the dangers of playing around in a potions lab. Then you will help me restock my store and do extra chores around the house. You will be grounded to your room for two weeks now in that time. I will understand if you were just mad and wanted to get back at me, son. We all get angry sometimes and make mistakes. However, if you continue to lie to me, you will still write that essay, but I will also spank you and you will be grounded to your room for three weeks after which you will do extra chores and help me restock. The choice is yours."

Harry's eyes burned as more tears welled in his eyes and his cheeks itches from the tears that had already fallen. Harry looked down at the bed, avoiding Severus's eyes once more. Why was the child making this so difficult? What was so hard about telling the truth? Severus just watched his son patiently. The boy had to learn to always tell the truth. This was important.

"Tell me the truth, son," Severus encouraged, still rubbing Harry's cold hands in between his.

Harry looked up at his father, his eyes red and his face miserable.

"I did tell you the truth, Dad. I swear. You just don't believe me."

Damn it, Harry, Severus thought, just damn it. Severus released his son's hand and rubbed aggressively at his temples. Today was just not a good day for either of them. He was going to have to harden his heart for this.

"So be it," Severus said firmly, sitting up straight in the chair. "Over my lap, young man."

Harry stared at his father, thinking about the unfairness of it all. He frowned, his sad tears turning into tears of anger.

"No."

Severus was surprised to hear such anger in his son's voice. This was new. Usually Harry was more accepting of his punishments when he understood that what he had done was wrong. But that was just it, wasn't it? Harry didn't believe himself in the wrong. He refused to change his story and continued to lie.

"Excuse me? I believe you know the drill and I expect you to listen to me. Over my lap, now."

"No! I didn't do anything wrong!" Harry shouted at his father. "You can't punish me when I didn't do anything wrong. I won't let you."

He was going to make this difficult, wasn't he? Severus really just wanted to get this over with. He snatched one of Harry's arms and pulled him forward, trying to get the boy off the bed but Harry threw himself down on the bed and tried to wrench his arm free of his father. Standing, Severus kept trying to pull his son off the bed, but Harry twisted and tried to yank his arm free.

"Stop it, Harry!" Severus snapped. "Get up! Now!"

"Let me go! Stop! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Severus was ready to just spell the child over his lap, but he noticed it might just be easier to carry out the punishment right where the two were situated. Harry was kind of in a good place.

"Fine," Severus growled, "you want to play that way, I can work with that."

Severus pulled on Harry's arm and forced his son to flip over on the bed. Harry quickly understood what his father was doing when the man pinned his back to the bed with a single hand.

"Nooo!" Harry screamed angrily into the blanket. "Let me goooo! Noooo! Stoop!"

The screaming rang in Severus's ear, paining them slightly. But Severus ignored it and managed to pull down Harry's night pants easily, the boys kicking legs aiding tremendously with that task. Harry's angry screams were quickly turning into angry, loud sobs. Severus pulled the boy's shorts down as far as they needed to go and pinned Harry's kicking legs down to the bed with a quick wordless spell.

Harry was already sobbing when he landed the first smack. Hardening his heart once more, Severus landed sixteen hard smacks, turning the pale bottom a shade of pink. He returned the clothes to their proper place and turned the sobbing child over.

"Alright, it's over, come here," Severus tried to pull Harry into his arms as he sat on the bed.

"No!" Harry threw himself away from Severus, plopping face first down on his bed, crying into the blanket. "Leave me alone! I hate you!"

"Young man, knock this off," Severus scolded, a bit hurt at his son's refusal of an embrace. In his opinion, they both needed it.

"Go away!" Harry shouted, burying his head in his pillow that he had pulled over to him.

Honestly, what was Harry's problem now?

"Harry Severus, you watch your tone with me before –"

"I said go away! Leave me alone!"

"Harry Severus, if you think that lying would be tolerated any diff–"

"Leave me alone!" Harry screamed lifting his head out of the pillow enough to do so. He dropped his head back down and sobbed.

Severus breathed and bit down on his inner cheek, resisting the urge to give Harry another dose of the discipline he obviously needed. Clearly, Harry didn't like not having plans go his way. But lying was inexcusable. Harry knew that. Severus wanted to lecture his son more, wanted to smack him over his clothed rear as a reminder of who exactly the boy was speaking to. Instead, Severus stood and left the boy to sulk.

* * *

Sam, wolf sized, sniffed around the potions lab, stepping over bubbling spots of ingredients that had combined and formed some kind of foul smelling aroma and avoiding liquid potions spilt on the floor. He sniffed at a vial that lay surprisingly unharmed among shattered glass. He picked it up in his jaws and trotted back to Severus, who was kneeling on the floor picking up unscathed billywig stingers. He nosed the man's arm for his attention.

"Thank you, Sam," Severus accepted the vial from the fox and held it up to read the slightly ruined label.

"A wolfsbane potion, Remus will be happy for that. Probably the only one I have at the moment. I'll have to get going on brewing more. But with what ingredients?"

Sam whined in answer, looking off to the side at a large hole in the wall.

Severus sighed and stood up. He dropped the stingers in an empty container on a fixed table. He set the vial down with the other four vials of prepared liquid potions he and Sam had managed to salvage. Two cream based potions had also survived the fall from a shelf. A bottle of castor oil, a bottle of thyme, and two bottles of doxy venom along with five containers of powdered, sliced, or chopped ingredients had been salvaged as well, including the billywig stingers. One jar of armadillo bile, two jars of honey, and a lone jar of expensive dragon liver. And that was it. That was all that remained and tallied up, the price came to about 110 galleons. Still nearly 400 galleons worth of supplies gone, years of stocking ruined.

Severus sighed and looked around. It had been nearly two hours and he was sure he would find nothing else.

Sam sniffed around once more. Sam had found the majority of the surviving ingredients. Severus watched the fox and waited to see if there was any chance more vials or ingredients had endured the explosion.

Sam paused by a cauldron on the floor that had a large dent in the side and was partially melted from the blast. Sam sniffed at it for several long seconds, his eyes closing and his ears falling back. Then his eyes snapped open and he snarled viciously at the cauldron.

Suddenly, the fox misted and flew out of the basement.

"Sam!" Severus called after him. He walked over to the cauldron and studied it, turning it over and over in his hand. He looked around the spot where the cauldron was. There was nothing there.

Severus sighed, wondering what had caught the fox's attention. Probably the smell of the cauldron. Melting pewter wasn't exactly pleasant. Besides, Sam nose had to be worn by now. Best to let Sam have a break.

He looked around the lab. He was sure there was nothing else to be found, anyway. The room was starting to fill with a toxic smell and he left the lab after transfiguring a broken shelf into a fan to keep some ventilation in the room. He'll return tomorrow morning and just banish what he could away. He might even have to burn the entire room just to eliminate the toxins forming.

Severus returned back upstairs, making sure to close the door to keep the fumes in the basement. He looked around for Sam. The fox was gone. Sighing, Severus decided to check on Harry. It had been two hours now since he had punished the boy. Opening the boy's room, he saw Harry asleep on his bed, still splayed across it.

Severus quietly walked across the room and gently picked Harry up in his arms, opening the covers with a snap of his fingers. He laid Harry down and tucked him warmly under the blanket. Sitting on the edge of the bed he stared down at his son.

What a ruddy day.

Severus watched his son sleep peacefully, his even breathing and soft flutter of lashes on his cheeks telling Severus that he was dreaming. He hoped they were sweet dreams. Leaning down, Severus placed a kiss on the boy's temple before turning out the lights and leaving the room, closing the door behind him. He would go over the details of his son's grounding tomorrow. Hopefully, Harry would be in a better mood to listen to him without throwing a fit.

As Severus returned downstairs and into the kitchen to make a relaxing cup of tea, an owl flew up to the window and pecked at the glass. Severus opened the window and accepted the parchment it carried. The owl hooted and flew off. Severus read the parchment.

 _Good evening Severus Snape,_

 _My boys are wondering if Harry dear could spend the last week of summer at the Burrow. I would be happy to accommodate your son for the week, he is such a gentleman! I'm sure he'd be a great influence on my boys and they would all love to play quidditch and perhaps work on any last bits of homework together. Just let me know by the end of the week._

 _Have a good night!_

 _Molly Weasley_

Great, Severus thought sarcastically. A wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends but the last week of summer also included Harry's grounding which was now three weeks. He couldn't go back on his word. Just one more thing to upset the boy. Yep, definitely prepare for a tantrum tomorrow.

Severus left the letter on is desk in his study. He'd get back to Mrs. Weasley later, once he figured out if he could somehow make that week trip work. Perhaps he could negotiate?

He was too optimistic. Look how negotiating worked out earlier. What was he thinking?

Once tea was ready, Severus poured a cup and went out to the living room.

Still no Sam. What on earth happened to that fox? Severus stared into the fire in thought as he took a sip of the spiced tea. What had caught Sam's attention downstairs? Oh well, he had more important matters on his mind. Severus set the teacup down on the coffee table.

Severus collapsed in an armchair. Harry wasn't one to not accept his punishment - he was usually always so regretful for whatever he did. It always made Severus feel terrible when he punished him. But there didn't seem to be regret now. Harry seemed angrier than anything else. It was so confusing. Severus rubbed at his face once more.

Had he missing something? Overlooked something? What had he done wrong?

Severus stared into the fire again. If this was a glimpse of Harry's teen years, Severus was not prepared.

* * *

Damn Severus - yet, he's only human after all, don't put the blame on him (RagNBone Man). Well . . . what do you guys think? Thanks for reading and remember to review!


	7. What Have I done?

Here is the next chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting for! Nice and long for you. Enjoy!

* * *

"Potions Master Severus Snape, sir," a voice sounded from above him.

Severus groaned in his bed as he slowly arose from his sleep. There was a weight on his chest and he opened his eyes, staring directly into the large green eyes of a house elf.

"Ahh!" Severus sat up abruptly, startled, knocking the elf and Sam, who was wolf-sized, to the end of his bed. The elf looked at Sam (who had been restraining him before but had dropped him when Severus practically threw them) then tried to jump off the bed.

 _: Ah-ah!_ Sam barked, snatching the elf's jumper before he could escape. Sam dragged the elf back up to Severus, keeping a hold of the jumper in his jaws. Severus stared at the trembling elf, blinked, then rubbed at his head and eyes. He looked at the elf again. Sam just kept him still and waited for Severus to wake up completely.

"What is the meaning of this, Sam?" Severus snapped. It was too early in the morning for this.

 _: This thing,_ Sam began, yanking the elf back when the creature tried to run, _has a fun little story to tell. Well? Get on with it!_ Sam shook the elf's jumper briefly, shaking the entire elf's body doing so.

"Dobby is sorry, Mr. Severus Snape sir," the elf began. "Fox told Dobby to come here or Fox would bite Dobby's arm off."

"Wonderful," Severus droned sarcastically, sliding out of the bed and away from the elf and fox. He moved to his wardrobe to find some clothes to put on, feeling uncomfortable lying in his bed with just shorts with the fox and strange elf.

Sam dragged Dobby to the end of the bed, jumping up on the raised footboard and hanging Dobby over it. Dobby struggled as the jumper choked him slightly, kicking his feet as he tried to pull out of Sam's jaws.

"Dobby is just helping," the elf continued. "Dobby works at Hogwarts and Fox found Dobby and made Dobby talk. Dobby didn't want to turn into fox food!"

Severus held back a snort at that as he found some trousers and pulled them on. Sam was quite the interrogation professional – though Sam did have personal experience with it, so that may be why. The things that fox will say though - too amusing.

 _: Tell him what you told me,_ Sam demanded. _Explain to Severus why your scent was in this house!_

Severus was pulling on a white tee, but he froze when he heard Sam say that. Scent? Was that what Sam had picked up last night while they were cleaning? That elf's scent? That might mean that . . . oh no.

Severus finished pulling on the shirt and now that he had clothes, he turned sharply towards the hanging elf Sam held.

"Your scent?" Severus snarled. "You were in my house? In my lab!?"

"Dobby is a bad elf for trespassing!" the elf, Dobby presumably, said. Isn't that the name Harry had mentioned? Dammit, dammit, dammit!

"Dobby is just trying to protect young Mr. Snape sir from danger. James Potter freed Dobby and Dobby swore to protect James Potter's friends and their families. If yous believed Harry Snape destroyed your lab, then yous ground Harry Snape from Hogwarts."

"You destroyed my lab!" Severus shouted at the small creature.

"I's is sorry! Dobby had to! There is danger!"

"You must have a god damn death wish, elf!" Severus snapped.

Dobby choked more, the jumper rising at his throat more. Severus glared at the elf, but he had so many more questions to ask before he decided to do anything about the damage this elf had caused. And Harry – what has he done!? The elf squeaked as he pulled at the jumper constricting his neck.

"Sam, drop him," Severus demanded.

Sam carelessly opened his mouth and allowed Dobby to fall to the ground, the elf landing harshly on his side as he had been unprepared. Dobby pulled himself up, glaring slightly at Sam as he rubbed his arm. _Perhaps I should have been more clear,_ Severus thought, but he didn't feel much sympathy for the elf. He was too furious right now.

"Why did you destroy my lab?" Severus questioned.

"Dobby is protecting Harry Snape," Dobby explained, looking at Severus and nodding. "There is danger at Hogwarts. Yous ground Harry Snape from Hogwarts if yous believed he destroyed your lab."

Severus rolled his eyes at the poor logic of a house elf. His heart constricted as he thought about last night and how he had spanked Harry.

"Danger at Hogwarts, hmm?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "What danger? The school is perfectly safe." For the most part, Severus thought the last part. As long as no idiot teachers were around.

"Dobby is not sure. Something will happen – Dobby knows it! Dobby sensed danger; a dark power. I's just trying to keep Mr. Harry Snape sir safe. I's ruined your lab to make Harry Snape grounded and keep him from school. Dobby is sorry he can't get rid of Fox. Dobby tried!"

"You tried to get rid of Sam?"

 _: Hardly,_ Sam smirked down at the elf from the footboard. He jumped down, towering over the elf as he snarled at him. _But you're very welcomed to try again_.

Dobby cowered, and Severus figured whatever happened at Hogwarts was best left between the two.

"Down, Sam," Severus warned.

Sam backed up until he stood next to Severus then sat at his side, his three tails flicking aggressively.

"I checked my lab for any traces of elf magic," Severus said, frowning at the elf. "How could I not detect yours?"

"Dobby just used a simple find-me-not elf magic so yous would think it was Harry Snape," Dobby explained, tugging and twisting his large ears nervously.

"Of course, I'm such a dunce," Severus muttered. He had been thinking too complicatedly of these creatures last night. Of course, he'd forget to detect for such a simple, amateur maneuver.

Severus thought of several fancy words in his head as he thought back to the wrongful discipline he had given Harry. He felt horrible for what he did to Harry - he had truly thought his son had been lying. What a way to destroy the trust between them. That explained why Harry had been so furious with him after the spanking. Severus swore he'd never use legillimancy on his son without the boy's permission. But perhaps he should have done that just that once. Then he would have seen what had happened. He would have believed his son and kept the strong bond and trust sturdy. _What have I done?_ he thought distressingly.

Furious with the house elf that destroyed his lab and purposely made it look like it had been his son, Severus summoned his wand and pointed it at Dobby.

"Please, Potions Master Severus Snape sir, Dobby is sorry!" Dobby backed away holding up his arms defensively.

Sam jumped behind the elf and grabbed ahold of Dobby's jumper once more, snarling as he kept him still for Severus.

Severus stared at the elf for a long moment, taking in his petrified state – wide eyes and his ears twisted in his fingers – before he lowered his wand. He sighed and said, "Let him go, Sam."

Sam released Dobby and sat by Severus again and waited. Severus stared at the elf for a few intense moments, Dobby wringing his ears repetitively.

 _: Just say the command and I'll eat him,_ Sam suddenly said, staring up at Severus, his ears perked.

"What?" Severus frowned down at the fox. "No, Sam, that's revolting!"

 _: Lucky you,_ Sam snarled at Dobby, though he dropped his ears in a foxish pout. Severus sighed and finally decided on what to do with the disobedient, trouble making house elf.

* * *

Severus made Harry's favorite strawberry waffles and added an extra dollop of whipped cream. He set it on the table and waited for Harry to come down. His mind was struggling with the guilt of just punishing his son for nothing. Nothing! He had wrongly accused his baby boy of destroying his lab – something he knew Harry would never do, never intentionally. Severus smoothed out his black robe before he sat in his usual place at the head and held his head in his hands, gripping at his hair. He felt . . . like the worst damn father on the planet.

Harry finally appeared in the dining room and Severus graced the boy with a small smile.

"Good morning, son," Severus greeted.

Harry said nothing, just stared down at his bare feet. Severus sighed. He deserved the silent treatment after what he did.

"I made your favorite," Severus said, pushing the plate towards Harry more. "Come sit down."

Harry didn't move for a long moment, simply continued to stare at his feet. Harry's stomach growled noisily, and he sighed and sat at his seat, picking up his fork and taking a nibble of just the whipped cream. Severus watched him sadly for a moment before speaking.

"Son, we need to talk about –"

"I don't want to," Harry snapped, picking up a butter knife and cutting at the waffle, refusing to look at his father at all.

"Excuse me, young man?" Severus frowned before taking a deep breath. Harry was just upset still, that was all. Even so, he deserved this behavior for his terrible actions. He needed to apologize for all the pain – physically and emotionally – that he had caused. He had to make things right. Hopefully Harry would hear him out. Sam walked into the dining room and sat down away from the table, watching the interaction, his ears falling back and his tails curling around him.

"Nevermind," Severus waved a hand dismissively. "I know you're upset with me and you have every right to be. I want you to know –"

"I don't care," Harry said. "I'm grounded. You told me everything last night. I'll go to my room, okay?"

"Harry, stop. You don't even know what I'm trying to say."

"I don't care what you have to say. I'm not listening. You don't listen to me so why should I bother to listen to you?"

"Harry Severus, cool it!" Severus snapped, his temper rising against his will. He hated the state he had put Harry in. The boy was distressed and betrayed. And it was all Severus's fault. "I am just trying to –"

"Just shut up!" Harry yelled, finally looking up at his father with angry eyes. "Shut up, shut up! I don't care what you want to say to me, you damn arse!"

Furious now, Severus slammed his fists down on the table as he stood. "Go to your room," he demanded, pointing towards the stairs. "Now! Go."

Harry slammed his own fists down on the table, mirroring his father as he stood and stormed away from the table, heading back to his room. Severus collapsed back into his chair and held his head in his hands once more. His eyes burned with unshed tears and he closed them tightly.

 _: That went well,_ came Sam's voice.

"Make yourself useful, fox, and take his breakfast to him," Severus said softly, fighting the hard lump in his throat.

 _: Oh, yes,_ Sam said moving towards the table and using his mind magic to lift the plate and have it hover near him in the air. _Let me feed the hotheaded boy while you hide away and drown in your own misery. This will solve everything._

"Sam, I'm not in the mood," Severus growled, finding his voice once more, though he kept his head in his hands.

 _: Trust me, no one is,_ Sam continued, tilting his head and baring his teeth slightly. _My father once said the fruit of a tree falls to its roots. If you cannot come to terms with your own feelings and express that to Harry, then how can Harry do the same?_

Sam trotted away, the plate following him, leaving Severus to think over what the fox had said. Sometimes having a three-hundred-year-old wise fox around did ease tension – and sometimes, it simply made him feel like more of a failure. What was he going to do? He had shredded any trust between his boy and himself. Couldn't Sam offer wisdom on how to fix this instead of criticizing what he did? He was trying, honestly.

* * *

Harry threw himself down on his bed and screamed into his pillow, pounding the mattress with his fists repeatedly. Once he had gotten that out of his system, he laid on his bed utterly exhausted from his anger outburst. He wondered what he should do now.

Clearly, he'd have to stay in his room because his stupid father had grounded him. Or did he have to stay in his room? Could he slip out the window? Maybe he could walk to town and spend some time at Nathan's house – his parents wouldn't mind. Nathan's parents might actually be fair and listen to him for a change. That was it – he was leaving. Anything to be as far away from his father as possible.

Harry walked over to his window and pushed it up. There was a tree not too far away, but he'd have to jump from the ledge to reach it. Risky, but worth a try.

 _: Don't even think about,_ Sam snarled as he entered the room, using his mind to set a plate the plate of waffles down on Harry's nightside stand. _I swear, if I have to chase you down and drag you back here, you'll feel my teeth in your hide the whole way home._

Harry glared at Sam and slammed the window shut. No need testing the fox's temper. It wasn't Sam's fault Severus was such an . . .

 _: Finish that thought and I'll send a bar of soup flying to your mouth,_ Sam snarled at Harry.

Harry seethed now. The fox was invading his thoughts! How could he forget Sam could read minds, especially ones as open to the world as his own. And Sam wasn't even on his side - that wasn't fair.

"You're taking his side!" Harry stomped his feet at Sam. Then he gave the fox a pleading look. "You believe me, don't you, Sam?"

 _: It's not a matter of whether I believe you or not – how you spoke to your father downstairs was –_

"He deserved it! I hate him! I hate him so much."

 _: And I hate you, how does that sound?_

Harry gasped and his eyes teared. "D-do you?"

 _: No,_ Sam sighed, ruffling the fur around his neck with a shake of his head as Harry wiped at his eyes, _but I do hate your attitude presently. You didn't even give Severus a chance to talk to you._

"He was just going to remind me of my grounding like he always does." Harry crossed his arms and glared at Sam. "You have to do this. You're not allowed to do this. Be in bed by this! He's infuriating and I hate it!"

 _: So sure of that, are you?_

"Positive!" Harry spat. "He accused me of something I never did and he punished me for it! How could he?" Harry's eyes teared once more, a couple escaping down his cheek. He rubbed it away and rubbed at his eyes angerly.

 _: Mistakes are inevitable, and in your case, considering the evidence available to your father –"_

"To bloody hell with the evidence!" Harry yelled. "He should have trusted me! He should have believed me! I will never forgive him for this! Ever!"

 _: Your anger has blinded you. Your hurt has deafened you. Your feeling of betrayal has misled you. Though your father may have been in the wrong, that doesn't give you the right to treat him as such. He is still your father and you should always respect him as at least that. You should have swallowed your anger and listened to what he was telling you. You should apologize to your father for this. You may think you know what he was trying to tell you, but I will inform you that your thoughts are astray._

"Then what was he trying to say?" Harry challenged.

 _: You would know if you had listened. I am disappointed in your behavior today, Harry._

"Why my behavior?" Harry stomped a foot, looking at Sam with sad and angry eyes. He didn't want Sam disappointed in him. Sam was his best friend. "You should be on my side! You even agree that Dad was wrong! He's the worst father ever and you're taking his side anyway! Why, because you're both adults?"

 _: You're not listening to a word I'm saying,_ Sam barked exasperated.

"I'm done listening to you, you stupid fox!" Harry grabbed a pillow off his bed and threw it at Sam, who side stepped it easily, Harry's aim off by his blinding tears. "Get out of my room! You're just as terrible as my dad."

 _: Fine_ , Sam snarled with bared teeth. _You can sulk in this room all day for all I care. And if you leave through that window at all, I'll grill your hide well done!_

Harry glared at Sam with challenging but teary eyes. Sam turned sharply and trotted out of Harry's room, using his tails to slam the door behind him.

"That went well," Severus remarked from where he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

 _: Kutabare Severus,_ Sam hissed, trotting past the man and misting away.

I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be offended but I've no idea what that means, Severus thought as he walked back down the stairs, heading for his study.

* * *

Back in Harry's room, Harry charged the pillow he had thrown and punched at it, beating it into the carpeted floor. He hated everything! This was the worst – no, second worst day of his life! Last night had been the worst. He didn't want to hear from anyone else. He just wanted to punch everything. If his father dared to walk through that door, he would beat the man as best as he could. He may be small, but his anger was overpowering. Harry threw his pillow back on his bed and ran after it, punching it into his mattress now.

A loud pop sounded in the room.

"Mr. Harry Snape sir," said a soft voice.

Harry sat up on his bed and stared at Dobby. The elf was wringing his hands nervously as he stared at Harry.

"You!" Harry yelled, jumping off his bed and chasing after the elf. "You ruined my life! Come here!"  
Dobby squeaked and ran around the room from the enraged boy.

"Dobby has come to apologize, Harry Snape!" Dobby squeaked out as he climbed over Harry's bed in an attempt to get away. Harry crawled after him, the effort slowing him down as the elf leaped away. Harry slid off his bed and still ran after Dobby.

"Dobby is sorry, so very sorry, he is! Dobby will do anything Harry Snape asks and Dobby has fixed Potions Master Severus Snape's lab!"

"Wait," Harry stopped running and stared at the elf. "You what?"

Dobby stopped as well, breathing heavily a bit before answering, "Fox bring Dobby back and Dobby told Severus Snape the truth. Dobby is a bad elf, bad, bad, bad!"

Dobby tugged hard on his ears each time he said 'bad.' Harry stepped forward and Dobby flinched but didn't move.

"I won't hurt you," Harry said, taking Dobby's wrists and pulling the elf's hands away from his tortured ears. "I'm sorry for chasing you. I'm just mad is all. What were you saying? You talked to Dad?"

"Dobby did!" Dobby nodded his head aggressively. "Severus Snape was furious but Severus Snape made Dobby fix the lab and Dobby will work extra hard at Hogwarts to pay for lost ingredients. Dobby will give all money to Severus Snape for many months. And Dobby will never return to Snape Manor and apologize to Harry Snape."

Harry just stared wide-eyed at Dobby. So his father knew the truth now. Then what had he been trying to tell him earlier? Oh no – had Severus been attempting to . . . apologize? And Harry had blown up in not only his father's face, calling him an arse, but in Sam's as well, calling the ancient and wise fox stupid. He felt like such a dimwit now.

"So, you fixed everything but the lost ingredients and potions?"

Dobby nodded, "All the holes in the walls, the tables, and cauldrons, Dobby fixed everything."

"And my dad knows it was you and not me."

Dobby nodded again, "Severus Snape sir is very kind for not killing Dobby or letting Fox eat Dobby!"

Harry's face fell as he realized Sam had been right that his anger had blinded him and his hurt had deafened him. He had just been so mad and betrayed that he took it out on his father – the cause for everything. But Severus had tried to make it all right again – feeding him his favorite breakfast (though chocolate chips would have really put the icing on the cake) and then trying to (Harry assumed) apologize to him. And instead of listening to what his father was trying to say, Harry jumped to the wrong conclusion and yelled at his father.

Now he felt even worse.

"Dobby thinks danger is still there," Dobby said. "But Dobby will protect Harry Snape at Hogwarts instead."

"No, Dobby, that won't be –"

But Dobby had already left after that. Harry sighed. He'll deal with that crazy elf later. He crawled back to his bed, lying on top and then just cried. He let out all his anger, frustration, and hurt out in his tears, soaking his pillow. He felt terrible for how he had behaved that morning, but he still was hurt by his father's actions. He was so conflicted! What was the right thing to do now? Could he forgive his dad? Should he apologize to him? Harry cried out that frustration too.

After several lonely, sad moments, he heard his bedroom door open and close softly. Footsteps slowly approached his bed and a hand rubbed his back soothingly. Harry hiccoughed and turned his head to see his father kneeling by his bed. Even after what he had done to his father, Severus was still providing comfort. He was the worst son ever!

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Harry said softly.

Severus frowned, looking surprised at that. He kept rubbing Harry's back as the boy sniffled and asked, "For what, baby?"

"For not listening to you earlier," Harry explained. "You were trying to apologize, right?"

"I was, yes," Severus confirmed, standing up, his legs starting to hurt from the squatting. "Here, move over."

Harry complied, and Severus laid next to his son and resumed massaging Harry reassuringly.

"Look, son," Severus began, "last night was rough on both of us. From my point of view, it did seem as though you were lying to me. I should have done more to make sure that there truly was no evidence of a house elf. I could have even waited for Sam to return; he's the one that discovered Dobby. And to be honest, Dobby was very close to James Potter, which meant your uncles could have even confirmed his existence."

"But weren't you friends with James, too," Harry asked.

"Not until sixth year," Severus answered, brushing hair away that had fallen over Harry's face. "And even then, I never really heard of or met this elf."

"Oh," Harry looked down, avoiding his father's eyes.

"Why didn't you just tell me there was an intruder in our home? Why didn't you come get me instead of chasing after the elf on your own?"

"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "I didn't think of that. And you probably wouldn't have believed me anyway."

"You don't know that for sure. But I guess my actions last night say otherwise, hmm?"

Harry nodded.

"I really am sorry, baby, I shouldn't have . . ." Severus sighed and rested his forehead against Harry's. "I don't ask for your forgiveness, you don't have to give it to me. But I want you to know that I truly am sorry for what I did to you. I broke your trust, hurt your feeling and you for a wrong you didn't commit. I know I'm the worst father and there are no words that can undo what I've done, but know that I regret it. Everything."

Harry sighed and moved closer to his father. His father sounded so sad and it made Harry feel just as miserable. His father didn't think he deserved his forgiveness? How terrible! Harry felt a couple tears escape his eyes. He loved his father – how dare he say all those mean words earlier! He just wanted to make everything normal again, but Severus still hurt his trust. What was he supposed to do?

"You smacked me for no reason," Harry muttered, "and it really hurt."

"I have a salve if it still hurts," Severus offered. "Would you like that?"

Harry stared at his father for a few seconds before shaking his head. "I'm okay."

Severus stared down at Harry before leaning once more to rest his forehead against Harry's. "That's good to hear," he said softly.

"I want to forgive you," Harry admitted. "But you didn't listen to me. What if you don't listen to me when I'm telling the truth again?"

"I might," Severus said, honestly, running a hand through Harry's hair, pulling the boy closer to him. "I'm not perfect, Harry. And though I strive to be a good father to you, I will fall short. I'm doing my best – I'm trying my hardest to do right by you. Half the time, I feel like I'm failing, and it scares me. I never wanted to hurt you like this. I never meant to break your trust in me. I'm so sorry."

Harry could see the tears in his father's eyes and it made him feel even worse. Harry rested his head against his father's chest.

"I don't know if I can completely trust you right now," Harry put plainly, fiddling with a button on his father's robe.

"I understand," Severus said, using his hand to pull Harry's hands away from the button. Harry tended to pull the buttons right off when he fiddled with them. Once Harry got the message and rested his hands under his head, Severus ran a hand through the boy's hair.

"But I can at least forgive you," Harry looked up at his father, meeting the man's eyes.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I'll understand."

"I do want to. And you have to accept my forgiveness for yelling at you and calling you an . . . well, you know."

"Of course, I forgive you, baby. How could I not?"

"And how could I not forgive you?"

Severus smiled down at Harry and hugged him against his chest, placing a long kiss on the top of his head. "I love you so much my little cub."

"I love you, too, Daddy," Harry whispered and returned the hug.

The two remained there for several long minutes, just enjoying each other's embrace and love, both feeling secure and comforted. Severus massaged Harry's back once more, gazing down affectionately at his son. Harry kept his head against his father's chest, his eyes closed as his father kept rubbing his back. He nearly fell asleep when his stomach growled. He had never eaten finished his breakfast, though to be honest, he had never really started it either. But he didn't want to leave his father's embrace. This was so nice. Then his stomach growled once more.

Severus chuckled, his chest rumbling, and Harry smiled as well.

"Sounds like someone is hungry," Severus said.

"I guess," Harry agreed, snuggling impossibly closer to his father. "But I'm too comfortable to move."

"Then we'll sit up together," Severus decided, pulling his son up as he sat up and moved back against the headboard.

Severus reached for the plate of cold waffles and cast a heating charm on it, along with a spell that cut the waffles up. He handed the plate to Harry, who was snuggled up against his side. Harry accepted the plate and began scarfing the waffles down. Severus snorted.

"Slow down, son. You'll choke."

Harry smirked up at his father, but he slowed down enough for his dad to actually see a piece of waffle disappear in his mouth. While Harry ate, Severus decided to inform his son of Mrs. Weasley's offer.

"Mrs. Weasley owled me last night. She would like to know if you would want to stay at her place during the last week of summer. The twins and your friend Ron will be there to play Quidditch with and you can work on your homework as well."

"You had me finish my homework a week ago," Harry reminded, whipped cream all over his face from his shoveling.

"Indeed," Severus said, summoning a handkerchief and cleaning his son's face. "But there is no harm in double checking your answers and rewriting you work on fresh parchment."

Harry groaned at that. Only his father would think of such a thing. Why did he have to have a professor for a dad?

"But what about you?" Harry asked. "You'll be all alone for the last week. Won't you be lonely?"

Severus laughed, and Harry frowned at him.

"I'm a grown man who's used to being alone; I'm sure I'll be fine. Though I'll miss you dearly, I want you to enjoy your last week of summer vacation. I have a lot of work to do to prepare for this year's lessons, as you well know. I'll be busy, and you'll be bored."

"I thought I was grounded though."

"You are for a week for the bike incident. You will work on extra chores and help me in my lab for a bit. Bedtime for the week is eight sharp. I want you asleep by eight thirty. And if you ever want to see a bike again, you will remain on your best behavior these last few weeks."

"Yes, Dad."

"So, would you like to go spend the week with the Weasley's?"

"Yeah," Harry decided, nodding his head. "Yes, please. I would really like that."

Severus kissed his son's forehead. "I know you will."

"You know what this day needs?" Harry smiled up at his father.

"And what's that?"

"Ice cream!"

 _: Did somebody say ice cream?_ Sam said, sitting at the end of the bed, fox-sized. He wagged his three tails and perked his ears.

"You have impeccable timing," Severus remarked.

"Can we, Dad?" Harry pleaded. "It'll help heal my trust."

"You're going to use that on me for a while, aren't you?" Severus smiled softly.

Harry nodded cheekily.

* * *

Later that evening, Severus, Harry, and Sam were each enjoying an ice cream cone at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Severus had a plain vanilla, Harry a triple chocolate, and Sam had a peanut butter one, which Severus held for the fox as he licked at it happily, ignoring hos the ice cream slowly melted down his hand. They discussed the trip to the Weasley's.

"Remember, your bedtime is still at ten by the latest," Severus said. "I will inform Mrs. Weasley of this and remember to pack your toothbrush. I do not want to have to deliver you any missing articles this time."

Harry remembered another night visit to the Weasley's when he had forgotten his toothbrush, pajamas, and a pillow. His father had delivered the items and embarrassingly scolded him in front of the Weasley's. He'd remember to pack his whole room to keep the man from having to deliver him anything ever again.

"Okay, Dad," Harry answered.

"And if I hear of any misbehavior, I will tell Mrs. Weasley to floo you straight home."

"Yes, Dad."

"I mean it, Harry. Any misbehavior and you'll be dealing with me."

Harry knew Molly well enough to know that she would sometimes let things slide like pranks gone wrong or flying brooms in the middle of the night as he and Ron had done before. She had scolded them about wanting to catch their deaths, but she saw no harm in what they did, saying all her kids had pulled this one before. She wouldn't tell Severus unless it was something life-threatening that he had done.

"Yes, Dad," Harry replied, refraining from rolling his eyes. "I know, I know. Can Sam come with me?" Harry smiled at Sam, who was too busy licking at the dripping ice cream cone Severus was still patiently holding.

"Lose your attitude," Severus warned with a slight frown. "And I'm sure Sam would love to join you. Wouldn't you, Sam?"

Sam wagged his three tails in response as he continued to focus on the large ice cream cone, licking happily. Severus took a bite of his own ice cream. He didn't bother licking to savor it, just ate the ice cream. He was the closest one finished, taking his first bite of the sugar cone. Then Sam chomped down on his entire ice cream cone, nearly biting Severus's fingers.

"Merlin's beard!" Severus yanked his hand away as Sam chewed and swallowed the cone. Severus frowned at Sam as he spelled his ice cream to hover so he could wipe off his ice cream covered hand with a napkin. "Warn me before you do that!"

 _: What's the fun in that?_ Sam tilted his head playfully, licking his lips.

Severus glared while Harry laughed at his side. He sniffed his hand. "Great, now my hand's going to smell like peanut butter."

Sam laughed in his foxy style while Harry laughed harder. Severus just shook his head at the two, snatching his ice cream out of the air to finish it.

* * *

Kutabare - Go to hell! Literally means "Drop dead!" I know this had a lot of tension between all the characters. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!


	8. Going on a Trip

I am sorry for the bit of a longer wait. I am doing my best keeping up with you guys! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

Sam eyed the badger as it nosed its way around the trees, searching the ground for earthworms to snatch up. Sam stayed where he was, keeping still and low to the ground. The badger would eventually cross his path and then he'd leap. He didn't usually go for badgers; they were peaceful creatures among red foxes – as long as no fight for food rights were involved. And their size made them trickier to take down than a common rabbit. And badgers had a lot of fight in them. But today, he was craving the thick, rich meat a badger had to offer. Just today. Just one badger to satisfy his needs and he'd leave them be for a while more. Oh, he could smell the meat already – cooking in his fiery breath and sizzling to a creamy goodness. Sam licked his lips in anticipation.

The badger moved along, unaware of the fox's ambush. It just kept to itself, snacking on earthworms. Sam nearly held his breath as it neared his location. This was so perfect. If he could just get a good grip on the neck, he might be able to snap it fast enough before the badger turned on him, forcing him to fight to the death. It would be worth it. It had been a long time since he last had badger meat. This would all be worth it.

The badger paused right in front of Sam's hiding place to snack on the dead bird Sam had caught and left as bait. Beautiful. Just beautiful. His plan couldn't be going more perfectly.

Let it snack, Sam thought, watching the badger with restrained eagerness. He'd let the badger enjoy its last meal. Sam waited a minute, listening to the sounds of crunching meat and bone. He smiled as he adjusted himself swiftly and quietly, rising just enough to be able to pounce at the badger's neck. With years of experience, he made no sound, no movement, and the badger just kept eating. It would just take one pounce . . .

Roar!

Faolan, the half-grown tiger cub, came running out of the bushes after the badger. The badger bolted away with Faolan at its tail.

 _: Faolan!_ Sam yelled.

Wasting no time, Sam bolted after the tiger and the badger, keeping in the trees to the side of them. If he could just get ahead of the badger, he might be able to perform a side attack. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Sam was neck in neck with the badger. He inched a bit closer, but before he could even think of pouncing, the badger dodged left and dove into a burrow in the ground. Sam sighed in defeat.

Faolan pounced on the hole in the ground and dug at it aggressively, sending dirt flying everywhere.

 _: Leave it, cat, it's gone,_ Sam snapped.

 _"I was so close!"_ Faolan growled, still digging. Sam could hear the Badger hissing down below. It must be trapped down there. But a wise hunter knew to never fight with a trapped, frightened, sharp-toothed animal underground.

 _: I said leave it!_

 _"I'm only helping,"_ Faolan said, leaping away from the hole and following Sam as the fox walked back through the forest to the manor. Faolan leaped around him, and while the tiger cub was much larger than him (who was normal fox-sized), Faolan knew to obey Sam at all times when he was out with the fox when Severus didn't feel like shifting into Freyr and joining them. _"I was right at his tail and one more leap and he'd be dead. Did you see me?"_

 _: Yes, I saw you,_ Sam snarled, turning and snarling at Faolan, who stopped dead in his tracked and cowered in front of him like a little puppy. _What have I told you about interfering with my hunting?_

 _"I was just trying to help,"_ Faolan mewed softly, his voice still carrying much more cub than full grown tiger. _"You were just sitting there. It was right in front of you."_

 _: I knew exactly what I was doing! You cost me a rare opportunity._

 _"Sorry,"_ Faolan, lowered himself more to the ground, large amber eyes staring up at Sam, his stomach pressing into the dirt and his head resting on his paws that were too big for the cub's body. _"I didn't mean to."_

Sam glared down at the tiger cub. He was still upset that he had lost the badger, but while Faolan had been in the wrong, the cub did believe himself to only be helping. Besides, what did a twelve-year-old energetic and unfocused half-grown kitty know about hunting strategies? Sam sighed.

 _: I thought you were climbing. Wasn't that what you wanted to do?_

 _"Yes, but I saw you and thought you might need help."_

 _: As I've told you the last few times, I do not need your help._

 _"Right."_

"Do we have a problem here?"

Sam and Faolan looked up to see Severus staring down at them, his arms crossed but a curious expression on his face. Faolan leaped away from his cowered place in front of Sam and over to his father, leaping up and biting down on the man's arm playfully. Severus tried to wrestle his arm free, but ended up being knocked down by his rambunctious cub.

"Okay, easy, you win!" Severus chuckled, sitting up on the ground, Faolan sitting next to him.

 _"What are you doing out here?"_ Faolan asked, his mind telepathy strengthening thanks to Sam's lessons. Faolan did well speaking through telepathy as a tiger, but when he shifted back into Harry, he couldn't communicate that way at all.

"Thought I'd go for a stroll and see where my two troublemakers were," Severus said. He smirked at Faolan. "It looked to me as though you were in for it with Sam."

 _"Well . . ."_

 _: Nothing serious, really,_ Sam said, trotting over to Severus and sitting down next to the man. _Just trying to get the same old lesson to sink in – stay out of my hunting!_

"Ah, that lesson," Severus said, ruffling Faolan's head, who used a large paw to swat at Severus's hand. "What'd you make him lose this time?"

 _"I wasn't trying to make him lose it!"_

"Sure."

 _"Really!"_

"Mm-hmm."

Faolan snarled slightly at Severus who cuffed an ear lightly and said, "Remember who you're snarling at or I'll shift and remind you."

For a moment, Faolan was tempted to get Severus to do just that. He huffed and pouted in a cubbish way.

 _"It was a badger anyway, probably wouldn't have tasted very good."_

"A badger?" Severus frowned at Sam.

 _: Don't judge if you haven't tried it,_ Sam tilted his own head at Severus, offering a wide foxy smile.

"I don't think I ever will try it. You have some . . . acquired tastes."

 _"I almost had that badger, too!"_ Faolan proudly said.

"Is that why I don't see the body anywhere?" Severus mocked, looking around the trees purposefully. Faolan jumped on Severus and knocked him flat on his back once more, biting gently at the man's arm again. After a rough tussle, Severus managed to push Faolan off himself.

"Enough, Faolan," Severus said, though he smiled. "Merlin, if someone just hiked by here at this moment . . ."

 _: They'd say, there's the loony man who plays with a dangerous tiger and talks to a wacky fox. Let's give him a three-mile radius so we don't catch his madness._

"You're hilarious," Severus commented dryly. Severus pushed off the ground and looked down at Faolan. "Change back, Harry."

Faolan shifted back into Harry who smiled up at his father.

"You know my hunting is getting better, Dad! Admit it."

"I will," Severus smirked. "You hunt just like a Gryffindor would: you rush in, no plan, no brains, no gain."

"Hey," Harry protested. "I'm getting better."

Severus snorted and wrapped a shoulder around his son and began walking back home with him. "Yes, you've gotten better. But you still need to work on strategy. Not all animals freeze like deer in the headlights at the sight of a large predator."

"I know."

"Tomorrow, you leave for the Weasleys. Are you ready?"

"I was ready weeks ago!"

"I'm going to miss your cheeky little attitude," Severus teased, pinching Harry's cheek for emphasis. Harry rubbed at his cheek more for show, glaring at his father. Harry looked back at Sam, who was sitting in the same place still, watching them leave.

"What are you waiting for, Sam?" Harry asked.

 _: I'm debating if I could make another attempt on a badger,_ the fox answered, though there didn't seem to be a lot of confidence in his voice.

"Come on, Sam," Severus encouraged with a motion of his head. "I'm sure you'll enjoy lamb chops more."

 _: Lamb, huh?_ Sam seemed to think it over, his ears turning out in opposite directions before Sam finally ran forward, catching up to the Snapes. _I'm in._

* * *

"Dad, can I go now?" Harry asked for what felt like the hundredth time, standing in front of the fireplace with his bag, ready to leave.

Severus rolled his eyes as he casually sipped his tea at the dining table. Sam lay at his feet in amusement and waited patiently until he Harry was ready to leave, knowing exactly what Severus was up to. The boy could have left a half hour ago. But Severus wasn't going to tell him that. It was nice giving the boy random reminders and little tasks to do before he left for his friend's home. It gave Severus just a little more time with his son who was so eager to leave the nest. Severus knew he'd have a hard time when Harry turned eighteen (that's right, eighteen – not seventeen!) He'd keep Harry around as long as he could legally.

"Did you move Hedwig to my room?" Severus asked, calling out to his son. "It'd be easier for me to take care of her if she's in my room next to Phantom's perch."

"Oh, right, good idea."

Severus listened as Harry's bag plopped to the ground and feet scrambled up the stairs. After a few quiet moments, Harry ran back down the stairs and picked up his bag.

"Okay, she's in your room," Harry informed. "Can I leave?"

 _: What about his bed?_ Sam suddenly said, picking up his head and looking up at Severus with a sly smile. _He didn't make his bed this morning. A shame it is to leave it in such a state for a week._

"Ah – yes – good point, Sam," Severus smirked. "Did you make your bed, young man? I am not your servant and you will not leave your bed a wreck for an entire week."

A loud groan and steps up the stairs. Severus sipped at his tea, trying to keep himself from laughing. A few minutes later, he could hear his son running down the stairs once more. But instead of stopping in the living room as he had done before, Harry came into the dining room.

"You're messing with me, aren't you?" Harry smiled at his dad.

"Come here," Severus smiled, holding out an arm and Harry eagerly embraced his father. Severus placed a kiss on Harry's head. "Did you make your bed?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "Now may I go?"

"I'm going to miss you."

"Me too, Dad. Love you."

"Love you, too. You may go now. And don't forget this mutt."

 _: Mutt?_ Sam snarled, standing to his feet _. I'll show you a mutt, you –_

"Watch it," Severus warned with a mock glare.

 _: Oh, don't worry, I'm watching myself baka yarō,_ Sam smiled, trotting out of the dining room. _Let's go, Harry._

"Well, go with Sam," Severus said, giving his son one last squeeze and a kiss on the head. "I'm going to purchase a Japanese dictionary and I'll see you in a week."

Harry laughed, "Bye, Dad."

Harry ran after Sam and Severus heard the floo flare up. He didn't mind the quiet when Harry was away visiting friends, but he knew he would miss his son terribly. Why did he agree to these sleepover events? And what on earth did that fox say? _I should have bought a Japanese dictionary years ago_. Severus shook his head and picked up the Daily Prophet to continue reading.

Meanwhile, Harry and Sam arrived at the Weasleys', where Molly was waiting expectantly by the fireplace.

"Harry, dear!" Molly greeted happily. "Come in, come in, don't be shy. Why, hello Sam!"

 _: Morning, Mrs. Weasley,_ Sam greeted, bowing his head respectfully.

"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley," Harry greeted, trying to imitate Sam's respectfulness.

"Oh, drop it, you two," Molly waved their formalities aside. "I'm just Molly. Ronald! Harry's here! Come in, come in, all the way."

Harry stepped out of the fireplace, Sam trotting at his side. He followed Molly to her large dining table where what looked like a lunch of sandwiches was all set out. Bowls of apples, bananas, and oranges were set around the sandwich platters. Sam was already licking his lips, his ears perking and his three tails wagging.

"I made sandwiches for lunch," Molly explained, walking into the kitchen. "It's simple, I know, but I've made blueberry tarts as well. Have a seat, don't be shy. I'll get you and Sam a plate."

Harry sat in a chair at the table, Sam jumping up in the seat next to him. Sam would sometimes sit in a chair to eat his meals like a person, which amused a lot of students at Hogwarts. Plates flew out to the table and set themselves in front of each chair. Harry wondered if he could just grab a sandwich when Ron came bounding down the stairs.

"Hey, mate!" Ron greeted.

"Hey, Ron!" Harry smiled as Ron came to sit in the chair on the other side of Harry.

"I'm glad your dad let you come visit. This will be great!"

"This is all Ron's talked about," Molly smiled as she carried a tray of blueberry tarts out. She set them down in the center. "These are for after you've eaten your sandwiches and fruit. Fred! George! Percy! Come down here and eat lunch! Ginny, dear, could you carry out the juice?"

Harry turned in his chair and looked in the kitchen at Ginny, who had been reaching for the juice but froze when she saw Harry turn. They made eye contact for a brief second before Ginny's face turned as red as her hair and she quickly excused herself from the kitchen and retreated to a different place in the house.

"That's my sister, Ginny," Ron explained, grabbing a sandwich and studying it. "She just got her Hogwarts letter. We've planned a trip to Diagon Alley this week. Do you need anything?"

"No," Harry answered, reaching for a sandwich as well. "Dad and I already did our shopping. He likes to do things way before it's even necessary."

"Corned beef," Ron made a face. "I've told Mum I don't like these sandwiches."

 _: I'll eat anything_ , Sam suddenly said, resting his head down on his empty plate. _But without opposable thumbs . . ._

Sam gave Harry a side-long pointed look.

"Oh," Harry grabbed a sandwich and put it on Sam's plate. "Sorry. I forgot."

 _: Grab that apple, too. No – the big red one. Yes, that's it._

Harry added the apple to Sam's plate and looked back at Ron just as Fred and George appeared at the table.

"Hello, Harry," the two greeted.

"Hey, guys!"

The twins sat on the opposite side of the table and smiled mischievously at Harry.

"Ever seen a car fly?" One of them asked.

"I can't say I have," Harry smiled, remembering a time in the previous reality when the twins and Ron had come to his rescue. It was so distant . . . and he felt like there was another incident, but it was beyond his memories now.

"Well, do we have a treat for you."

"Dad's new toy he's playing with."

"Modified it to turn invisible and . . ."

"Shh, lean in . . ."

"It can fly," the twins finished in a whisper.

"We were thinking of taking it for a spin . . ."

"You will do no such thing," Molly said, returning to the table with juice and pouring glasses for everyone. "That car is to be left alone by everyone! And that includes you two. If I catch anyone in it, near it, or even staring at it, you'll be sorry – mark my words. And I'll tell your father to get rid of it once and for all! I still can't believe that man – telling me he just wanted to study it, but no . . . how could I have been so . . ."

Molly's voice trailed off as she walked back into the kitchen. Ron looked terrified while the twins' eyes gleamed with trouble, each boy taking a sandwich and an apple that they rolled around on their shoulders before taking a bite.

Percy never did come down for lunch, but Ginny did return and she avoided looking at Harry as she ate her own lunch, smiling at Sam's antics as the fox gladly caught berried the twins threw across the table to him.

"If you're going to eat like animals, go outside!" Molly said in annoyance after a while.

"Hey, Harry," Fred smiled, "care to play some Quidditch outside? Two against two? You and Ron against us?"

"Sounds like a challenge," Harry smirked before his eyes widened. "Oh no! I forgot my broom!"

Harry wondered if he should even bother floo-calling his father for his broom – he was sure he would get an earful for such an oversight. The twins just smirked and said Harry could borrow Charlie's old broom. Harry smiled happily. At least he wouldn't have to call his father. And Charlie wouldn't mind him borrowing the broom. Harry picked up the last blueberry tart on the plate, the twins having inhaled them.

"So, do you think we can take them?" Ron asked.

"Of course!" Harry reassured his friend. "They might be older, but we are smaller and will fly faster!"

Suddenly, Harry felt teeth nearly nip his fingers as Sam swallowed the tart he had been holding, licking his lips.

"Hey!" Harry snapped. "That was mine!"

 _: My apologies,_ Sam tilted his head with a smirk. _If you were wondering, it was delicious._

"Gee, thanks."

"Oh, no worries, dear," Molly smiled, carrying out another plate of tarts, adding several to Harry's and Sam's plates individually. "I have plenty to spare."

Harry picked up a tart and took a bite of the juicy, fruity, crumbly treat while Sam licked his lips eagerly before inhaling all the tarts on his plate in a few bite before licking the plate clean. Harry laughed at Sam.

"You're such a hog."

 _: At least I don't get it all over my face,_ Sam said, licking away a bit of blueberry off Harry's cheek. Harry scrunched his face at the feel of Sam's rough tongue.

"I doubt you even taste it! And don't steal anymore of mine."

 _: I shall try to refrain._

Harry stood and followed Ron to join the twins outside, who were getting out the brooms. Sam watched Harry disappear from sight before chowing down on the remaining tarts on Harry's plate.

"Well, so much for trying," Molly said, her, Ginny, and Sam the only three at the table.

 _: You'll make more, he's nothing to complain about. And while you're at it, you should make some of these with blackberries. Oh, I can smell them now!_

Ginny giggled at the fox sniffing the air longingly. Molly just rolled her eyes at him.

"If you like them so much, you should make yourself a bunch."

 _: Oh no, you don't want me in a kitchen. I'm a fire hazard all around._

Later that night, after many matches of Quidditch (which Harry and Ron won only one game of), Harry and Ron found themselves collapsed in Ron's room, easily falling asleep from the busy and draining day. Sam had gone out on his own to explore the land surrounding the Burrow. The two boys slept peacefully, until . . .

"Wakey, wakey, sleepyheads!"

Harry and Ron wiced as bright lights flooded the room and groaned. Harry opened his eyes and looked at where the light was coming from to see the twins in a Ford Anglia car – a flying Ford Anglia car. He jumped to his feet and approached the window, Ron doing the same.

"What do you guys think?" Fred called out to them from outside Ron's window.

"Blimey!" Ron shouted. "Are you two mad! You're going to get in so much trouble, put that back."

"Oh, come on Ronnykins," George teased. "You've been wanting to fly in it as much as we have. So, get in and we'll take you for a ride!"

"And if Mum or Dad catches us?"

"Then they catch us. But won't it be worth it?"

"One-time offer," Fred added. "Going once . . . going twice . . ."

"Okay, okay, wait a second."

Ron grabbed his slippers and fought to slip them on his feet, hoping around a bit.  
"Come on, Harry," Ron encouraged.

"I don't know," Harry frowned at the car. "Won't your parents be mad at you? I don't want anyone to get in trouble or . . ."

"It's okay, Fred and George are good at not getting caught. And even if we did, they're good at accepting their punishment."

"And," Fred said, "it's all on us if we do get caught. We forced you two to come along."

"See? And it's kind of true. We'll be fine."

Harry grabbed his own slippers and slid them on with more ease than Ron had done. A thought struck him – what if Molly informed his father about this? But if the twins accepted all blame, would this incident be like the others that Molly decided not to tell Severus about. One of those boys will be boys and that's not something to fret about phrases? Harry felt his stomach twist uneasily. Was this a bad decision? What if they were seen?

"Okay there, Harry?" George asked. Ron looked at Harry as well.

"I just got thinking," Harry said. "Won't someone see us? Like Muggles?"

"Don't worry," the twins waved their hands dismissively. "Dad figured all that out. You'll see."

Harry felt the tension slowly leave his body. That may do more with how charming and convincing the twins were, but he smiled and followed Ron to the window, climbing into the backseat of the car. Once everyone was settled, the twins smirked back at them.

"Ready?"

"Where are we going?" Ron asked.

"Just wait and see!"

Harry smiled as the car flew forward, excited about this new, late night adventure.

* * *

Baka yarō – idiot (roughly translates to "you idiot") So, I had wanted to make this longer and include the late-night trip, but I realized that that would make this chapter twice the size they normally are. So, I'm cutting this one a shorter than usual, but don't worry – you'll thank me for it in the next chapter! Just think: this means the next chapter will be nice and long. I hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Late Night Flight

So, a friend of mine managed to convince me to write a story about my life to share on fanfiction as a way to reach out and connect to lost and lonely children in the world. I decided I'd just write an original story – mostly fiction at that – on FictionPress. If you do not have an account there, you can easily log on using your fanfiction account. My story is titled: _There is Hope_ and surrounds the story of an odd child being shipped around in the foster system, from abusive families to potential families and just a strange child's interesting quirks. I use the same author's name if it helps to search for it. I hope this story reaches out to many. If it interests you, you can find out more in my profile – and then go check it out!

* * *

As the car flew away from the Burrow, Harry started having doubts about the trip. What if they were seen by muggles? Where were they even going? The night air was a bit chilly and Harry wished he had grabbed a cloak or something to keep him warm. He and Ron were still in their nightclothes! Honestly, where on earth did the twins think they were going to go in the middle of the night in their nightclothes?

Suddenly, something white flew through an open window and solidified into fox-sized Sam on the dashboard. He snarled at everyone inside.

 _: Where do you think you are all going? Put this contraption on the ground immediately before I alert you parents!_

The twins seemed to hesitate, glancing at each other before doing as Sam said and flying the car to the ground and landing it. Sam's fur bristled as he glared at them all.

 _: What are you three thinking, disobeying your mother like this? And you, Harry, disobeying Mrs. Weasley? You should be ashamed of yourself, you are her guest – she is gracious enough to host you and this is how you repay her? I'm considering going to Snape Manor and informing your father of this stunt as soon as everyone is back at the Burrow!_

"Sam, no!" Harry cried, then blushed as he realized how childish he sounded in front of Ron and the twins. He cleared his throat. "Please don't tell Dad. We weren't planning on going far, just to . . . err . . ."

"To London," Fred supplied.

"London!" Harry and Ron sputtered.

"Yeah, we're taking you guys to Diagon Alley," George smiled. "We need a few things from Gambol and Japes. Just a few things."

"What are you two talking about?" Ron frowned. "That store is closed."

"Exactly!" Fred smiled. "Besides, we're too young to buy fireworks anyway. How do you think we've stocked on those before?"

"You two were planning on stealing?" Ron gaped.

"Not stealing. Permanently borrowing."

"We could use help from the master, though."

The twins looked at Sam with pleading eyes that sparkled with mischief.

 _: In your dreams,_ Sam snarled at them. _Take this car home. Now!_

"Oh, come on, Sam," Fred said. "Let's have a little fun."

"When do you ever have fun?" George added.

 _: I'll show you how much fun I can have by burning off your hair!_

"You need to cool off, fox," Fred smirked. "Don't you remember when you were our age?"

 _: Honestly, I do not._

"Well, I mean, younger . . ."

"And all you wanted to do was cause trouble and play jokes . . ."

"Make other foxes laugh . . ."

"Enjoy life while you're still young . . ."

 _: You two are probing my teeth,_ Sam growled, showing off his canines.

"Okay, let's backtrack a little," Fred said in a serious tone, George following his lead.

"We are leaving to Diagon Alley whether you come with us, leave us, or alert Mom and Dad."

"You can either chase after this car . . ."

"Tell our parents who won't be able to do a thing until we get back anyway . . ."

"Or you can come with us . . ."

"If just to keep us from getting into any serious danger and all . . ."

 _: Shut up!_ Sam suddenly barked. The fox pawed at his ears, covering them. _Just stop talking. You two are driving me insane!_ Sam sighed irritably, and sat up once more. _Fine, I'll join you, but just to keep you from danger._

"Yes!" the twins exclaimed excitedly. "The fox is onboard!"

Sam groaned but jumped into the back, sitting between Ron and Harry.

"Sam," Harry began hesitantly, "you're not going to tell my Dad about this are you?"

 _: Still highly considering it,_ Sam spat, glaring at Harry.

"Oh," Harry looked down at his lap, fiddling with his fingers as he thought about how to persuade Sam to keep this information away from his father. He couldn't think of any good reason, so instead, he asked the twins, "Why couldn't you guys just get fireworks when we all went to Diagon Alley together?"

"Like our mother would allow it!"

"Besides, we wanted a show tonight."

"Well," Ron frowned, "if we get caught stealing, I'm saying that you held me hostage."

"Oh, little brother, as if anyone would believe that."

Ron glared at George before crossing his arms and reluctantly agreeing. Harry smiled, then decided to look out the window and watch the stars and trees down below. As they neared muggle cities, the twins switched a lever and the car turned invisible, which amazed Harry and Ron. They continued on until they reached London and then parked just outside the Leaky Cauldron and locked the car once it was visible again. Harry and Ron stayed close to Fred and George as they went to the rear courtyard and tapped the appropriate brick in the wall.

"Okay, stay close everyone," Fred whispered as they walked down the dark alley. It was spooky, seeing so many shops closed with the lights out. Harry had never been to Diagon Alley this late at night. He looked down at Sam, who trotted at his side, as he remembered Sam's threat to tell Severus about tonight. He hoped Sam refrained. Maybe after their little adventure, Sam would realize how much fun they all had had and forget all about breathing a word of this to his father. Fred and George paused in front of Gambol and Japes and Harry was surprised to see a lonely light on and someone inside moving around. There was a large package just outside the door, and the light inside only lit up a small section of the door.

"What is someone still doing inside?" Fred questioned.

"I wonder if that means the back door is unlocked."

"Let's go give it a try."

Harry and Ron just followed the twins, trying to keep as quiet as they could be. Harry knew what they were doing was wrong, but Sam wasn't stopping them, and Harry alone wouldn't be able to change the twins' minds. Besides, based on what the twins had said earlier, they had clearly stolen from this shop before.

The back door did happen to be unlocked and everyone slipped inside the back of the shop, slowly feeling their way through the dark. They paused behind a shelving unit as the person inside moved towards the shelf and began stocking it with knick knacks and joke products. Everyone tried to peer through the shelves as the person walked away to put things on a shelf facing away from them.

Sam peered around the shelf and his ears perked up as he stared at the stocker. It was a young witch, possibly in her late twenties, with curly brunette hair and deep, hazel eyes. She wore a purple robe and used her wand to send products to higher shelves. Sam found his tongue falling out of his mouth as he watched the lady work, panting slightly, his three tails giving a wag. Then, a hand grabbed the scruff of his neck and yanked him back behind the unit.

"Down boy," Fred smirked at him.

"Someone's infatuated," George elbowed Harry in the ribs.

Harry just covered his face with a hand, his face turning red while Ron snickered at his side. Sam gave a quiet growl at the twins but said nothing.

"Look!" Fred whispered harshly, pointing to the shelves across from them. "The no-heat fireworks!"

"But to get there we'd have to avoid being seen by her!" George said, glancing through the shelves they were behind. It was a good thing the unit they hid behind was pretty well stocked or they'd be seen right through the products.

"Hmm. Good point. Maybe one of us should rush over there while everyone else keeps a look out."

"Too risky. Too bad we don't have your cloak, Harry."

"Yeah," Harry responded. "My dad definitely wouldn't have let me bring it over to your house."

"What we need is a distraction," Fred thought aloud.

 _: On it!_ Sam said before misting and flying out of the shop.

Everyone watched Sam and wondered what the fox might be up to. It was quiet for a few moments before a knock sounded through the shop. The lady stopped what she was doing, hesitated, then walked to the front door. Fred moved forward before deciding against it and stayed behind the shelving and just watched what would happen.

The lady opened the door to reveal Sam in human form wearing an appealing royal blue robe Harry was sure the kitsune had stolen from a shop. Sam's unchanged fox ears lay hidden in his fox red hair, though his shockingly yellow eyes were plain as day. His teeth, though they did not change in human form, looked like normal human's teeth as Sam smiled, and Harry figured they were illusioned to appear that way. Sam was holding the large package they had seen sitting outside the front door.

"Delivery for Gambol and Japes," Sam said, shaking the package slightly to indicate it.

"Oh," the lady said, stepping aside to let Sam bring it in. "You can just set that over there."

"Wow, those are beautiful," Sam said as he stepped into the shop, his eyes on the lady's face. With a shocked expression, he asked, "Are those diamonds real?"

The lady's eyes fluttered for a second in confusion before a look of realization crossed her face.

"Oh, these silly things," she touched her earrings and shrugged. "Yes, they're real. Probably not even worth that much though . . ."

"I was talking about the ones in your eyes," Sam said, setting the package down by a nearly empty shelf and smiling charmingly at the lady.

Fred and George waggled their eyebrows at Harry, elbowing him in the side as the snickered. Harry eyes widened at Sam's behavior, having never seen this side of the kitsune before. Ron covered his mouth to avoid laughing out loud. The lady was suddenly all red in the cheeks, but she smiled and fluttered her lashes at Sam, her hazel eyes glittering.

"Why, thank you."

"You know," Sam tapped his chin thoughtfully as he stared at the lady, "I was wondering why the sky seemed so starless tonight and here you are with all the stars in your eyes. You're going to have to give some back to the sky. It's not polite to steal."

"Look who's talking," Fred muttered to George.

The lady laughed and said, "Aren't you the charmer? I bet you're a troublemaker. How many broken hearts have you left behind?"

"Maybe I'm the one with a broken heart," Sam clutched at his chest and pulled a sad puppy dog look.

"I have a hard time believing that. What do you want from me? To go out for a cup of coffee?"

"Ge! Don't drink the stuff," Sam said honestly, holding up his hands. "I'll take that pumpkin juice concoction though."

"Still just a kid at heart, aren't you?"

"The name's Samuru," Sam said, leaning against a shelf as he fixed the cuffs of his fancy robe. "Ishimori Samuru."

"Oh, I love it," the lady fluttered her lashes at Sam.

"Oh, I hate this," Harry hissed between his teeth. The twins smirked back at him before watching Sam gleefully.

"My name's Amorette, Samuru," the lady, Amorette, said, stepping closer to Sam and fluttering her eyes again.

"How conveniently French for "little love.""

"You speak French?"

"Oh, I speak a lot of languages. And let me just say, anata no yōna hito wa maredesu, and I am very lucky to have run into you tonight."

"Oh, that was beautiful!" Amorette laid a hand over her heart.

Sam glanced at a shelf near him, looking at the different products. He picked something up, and Harry tried to peer through the products on the shelf to see what Sam was holding. It looked like a small spray bottle of sorts. Sam held it up, showing Amorette.

"Is this for freshening the breath?"

Harry realized it was a breath spray.

"Mm, yes," Amorette smirked, "minty fresh."

Sam opened his mouth and squirted a couple sprays into it.

"But then it turns sour," Amorette added.

"Oh, yep," Sam agreed making a face and choking slightly. "There it is."

They both laughed, and Sam shook his head in distaste. Harry slapped a hand over his face while the three redheaded boys muffled their laughter into their own hands.

"You could have warned me," Sam said, tossing the breath spray aside.

"This is a joke shop. And I believe someone was getting a little cocky."

"You think so?"

"Look," Amorette smiled at him, "I'm supposed to be . . . stocking. And technically no one's supposed to be in the store right now. My boss would kill me if he knew you were in here. He'd think I was fooling around or giving out freebies."

"Well, we've already broken one rule. What's a couple more?" Sam stepped closer to Amorette.

"Oh, I don't know . . ." Amorette said, though with a little reluctance in her voice. She placed her hands on Sam's chest as he moved closer to her, her hands roaming under the robe slightly as Sam put his hands on her hips. They're heads were leaning in closer.

Harry gagged before covering his eyes, not really wanting to watch Sam make out with a witch. He heard Fred shuffle and peeked through his fingers to see him moving for the shelf with the fireworks, grabbing as many as his arm could carry before rushing back. One of the fireworks fell to the floor with a clang and Fred froze.

"What . . .?" Amorette tried to look past Sam, but Sam pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. Amorette's eyes closed and she wrapped her arms around Sam's neck.

Harry felt sick watching them, but Sam used a hand to signal to the twins to hurry up. George gave Sam a thumbs-up as he ran over to gather more fireworks. Sam rolled his eyes before closing them and deepening the kiss. George grabbed as many fireworks as he could carry and ran back behind the shelf, telling Ron and Harry to move and leave through the back door.

Sam pulled away from the lady and started backing for the front door.

"Oh, Samuru," Amorette sighed, taking deep breaths.

"You are an amazing kisser," Sam said to her. "I'll let you get back to work, but we've got to hang at your place sometime. We'll make it a date."

"Wait, you don't even know where I live."

"Trust me, I'll find you."

Sam turned the knob and left the shop. He went behind the shop to join the others where Fred and George started making kissy noises at him. Sam rolled his eyes again and shook his head at them. Kids, he thought. Harry was frowning at him, though Ron seemed as amused as the twins.

"Are you really going to meet with her again?" Harry asked, crossing his arms and glaring up at Sam.

"Jealous?" Sam flicked his ears in amusement.

"What? No! I mean, I just don't think . . . I don't know, it doesn't seem right and . . ."

"Someone sounds jealous," Sam grinned teasingly. "Afraid of losing your loyal kitsune to a pretty lady?"

"Stop it!" Harry's face reddened for the hundredth time. "Do you plan on seeing her again?"

"I'll think on it," Sam said, considering Harry for a moment with a slight smirk. "Why do you care anyway? What I do behind closed doors is of no concern to you, especially when there's a beautiful . . ."

"I don't want to hear it," Harry said, covering his ears.

Sam snorted and ruffled Harry's hair before moving around the building and out of sight to strip and change back into fox form. Once he returned as his fox-sized self, they all quickly left Diagon Alley.

Once loaded back in the car, the twins switched the invisibility and flew around London for a while, flying circles around Big Ben which struck one am. Then, the twins flew the car over River Thames, grazing the water with the automobile's wheels, flying under and over bridges. Lit up London at night was a wonderful sight, and Harry and Ron appreciated the beautiful views they had of everything.

* * *

Harry and Ron sat on the hilltop and watched in awe as the fireworks blasted across the sky. The twins were driving the car around with the invisibility on and throwing the fireworks out the window and watching them explode in colors of red, yellow, green, and blue. They lit up the sky with the colors and Harry and Ron "oohed" and "aahed" at them. Sam sat at Harry's side, watching in amusement. Harry remembered something and looked at the fox.

"Are you still going to tell Dad about tonight?"

Sam looked at Harry and tilted his head, silent for an intense minute.

 _: Well, if Mrs. Weasley doesn't inform your father first, then I guess this little night adventure can be kept between us._

"Thanks, Sam," Harry wrapped his arms around the fox's neck. "You're the best."

Sam smiled at Harry before watching the fireworks once more.

"I hope Mum never realized we were missing," Ron said watching as the sun slowly began to rise. The fireworks show was over, and the car appeared in the grass next to them. Fred and George stepped out and sat next to Ron to watch the sunrise. "This has been fun," Ron said with a yawn.

"Don't yawn," Harry said, fighting a yawn himself, "You'll make me yawn."

 _: Great_ , Sam said as he yawned. _Now you've got me yawning. You two need to rest. You've had a long night._

"We don't need . . . yawn . . . to rest," Ron argued.

"What Ron said," Harry said as he rubbed at one eye to wake himself up a bit.

"I think the babies need to go to bed," Fred teased.

"I think it's time we head home," George agreed. "Sun is almost up completely. Mum is sure to be waking soon."

Everyone climbed into the car and started their journey home. It didn't take long to arrive home and the twins parked the car and everyone quietly entered their house, tiptoeing inside and shushing each other.

"Where have you been?" Molly shouted as she appeared from the kitchen.

The twins and Ron groaned, and Harry backed away slightly.

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone! What were you thinking! You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job!"

"We were just having some fun, Mum," Fred said. "We weren't seen, honest! We only went out and around for a bit and circled right back."

"And did you drag Ron and Harry with you? They were asleep before I retired for the night!"

"Yeah, we woke them and told them to come with us."

"And you two just followed along, didn't you? Did you stop and think that maybe you might get hurt on this senseless adventure? Harry, I have half a mind to inform your father about this! This was dangerous – he ought to know."

"Please Mrs. Weasley," Harry shook his head, "it wasn't that bad. Nothing happened! This would just make my dad worry and he might end my stay here early and . . ."

 _: If I may, Mrs. Weasley,_ Sam said, stepping forward, _I was with them the entire time. At first, I wanted to alert you and tell Severus myself, but I figured they'd go on this trip no matter what I did. So, I joined them. They came to no harm, I assure you. And I see no reason why Severus must be alerted and stressed._

"Mph, you still could have woken me," Molly said. But she sighed and seemed to collect herself. "Alright, Harry, dear, I won't tell your father about this. But one more stunt like that and I will be telling him every detail!"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Harry looked at the ground.

"Just Molly, dear."

"Yes, Molly," Harry smiled.

And then Molly went back to yelling at the twins while Ron and Harry backed away and left for Ron's bedroom.

"What a night," Ron muttered, falling on his bed. Harry collapsed on the second bed set up for him.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun."

"Yep," Ron yawned again, his eyes slowly closing. "A lot . . . fun."

Harry smirked but his own eyes slowly closed as well.

"Ronald, Harry," Molly called, coming up the stairs, "breakfast is ready . . ."

 _: It seems our troublemakers have fallen into slumber,_ Sam smirked at Molly.

"Oh. Well good, they need their sleep. I'll wake them for lunch."

Sam misted away from the Burrow. He traveled all the way back to Snape Manor and through an open window. The trip had taken him half an hour and he shook himself and stretched his muscles before trotting down to Severus's study.

"There you are, Sam," Severus greeted as the fox entered. "Find anything useful about what the elf may have sensed at Hogwarts?"

 _: I actually didn't get a chance to go to Hogwarts last night,_ Sam explained, scratching at his neck for a brief second. _A couple of hooligans wanted to drive a flying car around London._

"Please tell me it wasn't my hooligan," Severus gave Sam a concerned look.

 _: No, the twins flew the car_ , Sam said, and Severus breathed a sigh of relief, _your son sat in the back with Ron._

Relief was gone. Severus groaned and dropped his head on his arm.

"He was in a flying car? Whose car?"

 _: Mr. Weasley's, I believe. Harry had quite the night, though. He's passed out asleep right now._

"That child is going to be the death of me. When I get my hands on . . ."

 _: Could you refrain?_ Sam tilted his head. _I told him I wouldn't tell you. So, act like you have no idea._

"One of those deals again? You're killing me, Sam. What if he decides to fly the car himself next time?"

 _: Then he's all yours, Severus._

Severus rolled his eyes at the fox and shook his head, looking down at the lesson plans he was reviewing briefly before glancing over at Sam.

"So, about this elf?"

 _: I will investigate Hogwarts this afternoon while Harry rests,_ Sam decided. _I will see if I can track anything down that could be a danger. I fear though that this elf will become our biggest problem. He was pretty adamant about keeping Mr. Harry Snape sir safe._

"Indeed," Severus frowned in thought. "If he causes any trouble, I might let you chase him off."

 _: I would be honored,_ Sam gave a sly smile.

Then, Phantom flew into the room and dropped a package on Severus's desk. Severus smiled upon seeing it and smirked at Sam. "Just in time," Severus said, opening the wrapped parcel. Sam tilted his head and waited to see what Severus had. When the man opened it, Sam realized it was a Japanese to English dictionary.

"I believe this should come in handy," Severus said, holding up the dictionary.

 _: Oh, lovely,_ Sam remarked dryly, sitting down next to Severus's desk and looking up at the man to hear what he would translate, if he even remembered any of the things Sam had said. Severus flipped through the book, frowning at some pages as he paused on them. Sam tilted his head, wondering what Severus was doing.

"Dammit!" Severus exclaimed. "It's all written in kanji. Why do I waste my money? I should just use a translator spell on you."

 _: Did you not look at what was inside the book before you ordered it?_ Sam broke out into laughter at Severus's stupidity. Then he paused and tilted his head at Severus once more. _Wait, you have translator spells?_

"And the next best thing that doesn't require using energy. Here, Sam, how do I read this?"

 _: How should I know?_ Sam asked, growling slightly.

"What do you mean, how should you know? Look at it and read it."

 _: Cause it's just that easy, isn't it? You just expect me to translate it for you each time I say something you don't know?_

Severus glared at Sam before he suddenly realized what the fox's problem was. His mouth dropped open and he wasn't sure if he should be surprised or amused.

"You can't read it, can you? This is your native language!"

 _: I speak it, I don't have to read it,_ Sam snapped.

"I don't believe this. But you've read English writing before."

 _: Oh yes, like the word "exit" above doors, and the large "stop" on the red octagons. I can make some things out, but I can't really read._

"Do you know anything in this book?"

Sam approached the book Severus held open on a random page and he peered down at the kanji writing.

 _: Well . . . Err, that's fire, I recognize that – the last one there. See how it looks like a fire log? I don't know what the rest of it means. Umm . . . Down here is umm . . . well, over here . . . oh look, junin toiro! See, that is the character for ten, and that is the character for man, ten again, and that's color. It means ten men ten colors. Or to each his own. See? Got one._

Sam wagged his tails proudly while Severus just stared down at the fox with an amused expression.

"Indeed, one translation out of an entire book. I can't believe you really can't read even your own language."

 _: Readings tricky, especially when all I got was a quick yearlong lesson on different languages and reading them. If you don't use it, you forget it. And I haven't had a need to read most of my life._

"Unbelievable," Severus muttered, setting the book aside and returning to his lesson planning. "I've truly wasted my money. Put yourself to use, fox, and check out Hogwarts."

 _: Aye, aye,_ Sam smiled before misting away.

* * *

Ge! – Japanese equivalent to yuck.

Anata no yōna hito wa maredesu – People like you are rare (this is also Japanese, in case you couldn't tell).

For the record, since I don't believe I'll mention it again, Sam does not meet with that lady again. His morals do catch up to him. I guess that's one broken heart to start the list. Anyway, tell me your thoughts on this chapter!


	10. Guilt Trip

Long time since I've posted anything! Well, I passed all my finals and I'm down to my last semester. I'm sorry for the long wait on all my stories, everyone. But luckily for you, I've been slowly building chapters for all my stories and I should be posting more within this month while I am on break. I actually tried to post this one last night but the site seemed to be suffering an error code. Well, anyway, thank you all for the wonderful reviews for all my stories and enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

Sam sniffed around the empty halls of Hogwarts for nearly an hour, finding no trace of that strange house elf that had blown up Severus's lab nor did he see anything that he would consider a danger to Harry or any of the students. Sam sighed. This was pointless. That elf was just delirious. However, he had a job to accomplish. He'd keep checking. Besides, the school was massive; and they're were sure to be plenty of secrets the castle hid within its walls and halls. He'd keep looking for Harry's sake.

After another fifteen minutes and scouting out another floor, Sam sighed irritably again. Still nothing. He'd be here all day and night – perhaps all week – at this rate. He needed to move this search along. He could use . . . but then he'd have to pay a price. What might that price be for daring to ask for instructions? Well, whatever it may be, it couldn't be too terrible.

Sam lifted a paw and touched the tooth resting against the white, star-shaped fur patch on his chest. _Reveal to me the danger I seek_ , Sam demanded, making sure to clearly picture the situation of the elf in his mind, allowing the question of what the house elf had sensed ring through his head.

A blue hue emitted from the tooth and a wind chill blew through the empty hall, sending shivers down Sam's spine. How a wind could be so cold on a hot August day was beyond him. The wind ceased, and a thin fog seemed to settle in the hall Sam was in, a bluish fog that travelled down the hallway and turned left. Sam narrowed his eyes, his ears falling back, and he cautiously followed the fog, turning left at the end of the hall. The fog continued down a stairway to the first floor, and slowly following the path the fog created, and made his way down a new hall he had yet to explore. He hadn't really focused on the first floor as there were few classrooms and interesting places.

Sam paused midstep as the fog continued down another hall, turning right at the end. His tails flicked in opposite directions anxiously, and he glanced down at the glowing necklace. A slight chilly draft blew through the hall once more, urging the fox forward. Sam shook out his fur and continued slowly moving forward.

Halfway down the hall, he swore he could hear something loud coming from inside the wall. It sounded as if the pipes were banging and clanging – like something large was moving inside them. He could hear a hissing noise as well. The noises grew louder – the banging, clanging, and hissing – as he turned the corner and followed the fog through an open door.

It was a bathroom. And the blue fog thinned into a line as it directed Sam to a random sink, which the blue fog enveloped, highlighting the sink. The noises around him grew louder, especially the hissing. Sam inched closer as slowly as he could, staring intently at the sink, his fur bristling, heart rate quickening, and his tails flicking agitatedly.

An engraved snake on the tap seemed to come to life as it lifted its head and hissed aggressively at the approaching fox, its eyes glowing a strange yellow.

The ground beneath Sam's paws rumbled slightly and the sink itself seemed to shake as Sam finally stopped right in front of the sink, peering up at the snake glaring down at him with its piercing eyes. Sam snarled at the snake. It hissed again and poised its neck in a S position, preparing to strike as the ground shook with more force . . .

"Stop!"

Sam jumped nearly three feet in the air and lowered himself defensively, hissing at the strange ghost girl who had appeared from a toilet stall. He breathed for a moment as he willed himself to calm, glancing around and noting that the blue fog was gone, and the engraved snake was no longer animated. He looked down at the tooth to see it had lost its glow as well.

He sighed and glared irritably at the ghost, annoyed that he had been interrupted.

"Is the poor scaredy fox afraid of an innocent little girl?" the ghost asked him mockingly, lowering herself to the ground more.

 _: I was in the middle of something, human girl,_ Sam snarled at her.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation with the sink. But it was getting weird listening to you growl at it. And they called me crazy!"

Sam's ears dropped in frustration. Of course, only he could see or hear the magic the tooth brought forth as he was the one who demanded its use. Perhaps, to the ghost child, it was an odd sight to see a fox cautiously enter the bathroom just to bare its teeth at a sink. Sam shook his head and looked back at the sink, wondering how a sink could possibly be a threat to anything or anyone. He must be missing something big, because to his eyes, it was just a sink. Unless that engraved snake at the top really could move? But that wasn't really a danger . . . unless, it was venomous?

"And now you're ignoring me?" The ghost continued moving closer to him. Sam looked away from the sink and growled under his breath. Couldn't this girl just disappear? "You're just like everyone else! I mean, who would ever want to talk to ugly, miserable, moping, Moaning Myrtle! Ahhhh!"

Sam winced, his ears laying flat on his head, as the girl wailed and flew off to a stall, slamming the door. He shook his head to clear the ringing from his ears and stared back at the sink. He sniffed at it and tilted his head. Nothing. It was just an ordinary sink. Would the tooth had shown him more if that ghost girl hadn't interrupted him? Or was he supposed to figure out the rest from here?

Sighing in defeat, Sam turned away and walked out of the bathroom. He was done with this search – for now at least. Walking down the hall and down the stairs to the main entrance, Sam found himself lost in thought. Perhaps he could check out that sink another time. Surely that sink alone wasn't what had that house elf freaking out.

Suddenly, sharp needle teeth sank into Sam's shoulder and Sam let out a loud yelp. He bit down on the neck of whatever had him, effectively causing the creature to release him, and threw it aside. The creature landed on the ground a few feet away. Sam gasped at it.

Black mamba? But they didn't even exist in the UK!

Just as quickly as the snake had bitten him, a blue fog wrapped itself around the snake and it disappeared. Sam stared at the place the snake had been in shock. It was then that he realized he had forgotten about his price for using the tooth's magic.

Looking down at his shoulder and seeing blood drip from where the snake had bitten him, he closed his eyes as he suddenly felt lightheaded. This just reminded him of how dangerous the tooth's magic could be. His price for asking for help was to be attacked by one of the world's deadliest snakes? Where was that fair? What was the connection?

Those thoughts didn't stay in his head for long as he collapsed to the ground, feeling very weak. He needed an antidote now! He needed to get to Severus! Sam pushed himself off the ground and misted, only to solidify and fall back to the ground after a short burst forward. He whined as he could feel the venom in him spread. He breathed heavily as he pushed himself up, only to fall back to the ground limply.

* * *

Harry felt terrible.

Not the "I feel so sick I might upchuck" kind of terrible, more like the "I've done something wrong – what would my dad say? – I can't tell on my friends, though – now I might upchuck" kind of terrible.

And it started as soon as Molly had woken Ron and him for lunch. He didn't feel so bad about the car trip – it was the fact that they had all stolen from a store that made him feel terrible. Growing up, Severus had made sure Harry understood that stealing was wrong (though Sam seemed to think otherwise, which always annoyed Severus). Harry had never stolen something from a store, especially something as serious as fireworks. The twins had also nicked a handful of sweets each, offering Harry and Ron some last night, which they had gladly enjoyed. And the evidence of that sitting in his stomach made Harry feel nauseous.

As Harry sat at the table with the Weasley family for lunch, he frowned in thought. What was wrong with him? Ron seemed fine. The twins were goofing off as usual, even after they were forbidden from going near the car once more and were forbidden from their brooms for the rest of the week. They didn't seem to have any problems moving on from the events of last night. And Sam was a professional thief – if such a thing existed – and he always seemed fine after stealing something. He should just let this all go. Like everyone else clearly had.

Harry laughed belatedly at a story the twins had told. He realized he was so deep in thought, he had missed the story by the time everyone else was laughing. He could forget about last night if he just pushed it from his thoughts and focused on everyone around him. Piece of cake.

"So, everyone," Molly said, "I think tomorrow would be a perfect day to go to Diagon Alley. We'll gather everyone's school supplies; Ginny, you'll need to go to Olivanders . . ."

Whatever else Molly said was lost as Harry felt his stomach twist. They were going back to Diagon Alley so soon after last night? Harry choked on his food, struggling for a moment until Ron patted his back helpfully.

"You okay there, mate?" Ron asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Harry drank a bit of pumpkin juice to soothe his throat. He really didn't feel like he could go to Diagon Alley after what they had done and not get sick somewhere. It would just remind him of his guilt and hurt his conscience even more.

"Harry, dear," Molly looked at Harry with a concerned expression, "are you sure you're alright? Would you like a throat soother? I may have some honey, if you'd like."

"I'm good," Harry smiled weakly.

Molly smiled back and turned her attention on Ginny once more, talking to her about new robes for Hogwarts. Percy was actually at the table with them as well, talking to the twins currently.

Harry tried to keep the thoughts of last night down, even as he helped de-gnome the garden with the twins and Ron as punishment for all of them taking off in the car. It did prove to be a distraction and a harsh learning experience when one gnome bit his finger, but after the garden was de-gnomed and he found himself comparing homework assignments with Ron, Harry's thoughts strayed back to his thievery. Even if he hadn't been the one to actually take the fireworks, he was still an accomplice to the crime.

"Harry, dear," Molly called up the stairs, "Your father floo called. He'd like to speak with you."

Oh no, Harry couldn't help but think as he stood and left Ron's room, did his father know? Had Sam told him even after the fox said he wouldn't? Did his father have some sixth sense and just knew whenever Harry did something wrong? Harry slowly made his way down the stair and to the fireplace, butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

"Evening, son," Severus's flaming head smiled at him.

"Hi, Dad," Harry smiled back, still unsure of what his father might know.

"How's your week going? Having fun at the Weasley's?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded as he sat in front of the fireplace, crisscrossing his legs. So far, it seemed that Severus had no idea about his late-night adventure. "It's been great, Dad. We played Quidditch yesterday – almost all day and night and we really didn't win many games against the twins – oh, it was me and Ron versus the twins – we were so tired from all that flying last night, we passed right out and I helped de-gnome the garden today and tomorrow, we're heading to Diagon Alley so everyone can get what they need – I also worked on my assignments some more and helped Ron with his – and Sam and the twins have been hilarious together; they really should get together more – they'd cause a lot more trouble – and Ron and I also –"

"Slow down, Harry," Severus chuckled. "I'm not catching everything your saying."

"Sorry." Harry fell silent then. His nerves were eating away at him that he couldn't keep his thoughts straight. At least his father bought it as excitement. Or he hoped the man did. His heart ached to just spill everything to his father and get it off his chest, but his mind insisted on staying true to his friends and keeping the information stored away. What was he going to do? What was the right thing to do?

"Harry?" Severus's voice cut through his thoughts. Harry looked back at his father's now concerned face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad." Harry nodded.

"Are you sure? You can tell me anything, you know."

Harry could feel himself start to sweat and he became aware of his beating heart speeding up. His breathing sounded so loud in his ears he felt like Darth Vader for a moment. It was like his father knew everything!

"I'm sure I'm fine. I'm not hiding anything or . . . anything."

Severus frowned. "I never said you were."

"Right," Harry gulped. He was going to spill if he didn't stop talking to his father soon. He wasn't sure how much longer he might last with this interrogation session. His father was good at this! "Sorry. I guess I'm . . . still tired. It was a . . . late night."

"You don't say? Mrs. Weasley told me you and Ron had had a late night and that you slept in until noon. I had tried floo calling you earlier, but you were sound asleep then."

"Sorry."

"Will you quit apologizing to me!" Severus laughed. Harry laughed uneasily as well. Severus then raised an eyebrow at his son. "Guilty conscience?"

Harry's smile faded, and he was sure he turned a shade paler. Surely his father knew something! How could the man not? Or maybe he was slowly figuring things out and soon he'd unravel the entire story of last night. Sheesh, Severus would make an incredible detective! Harry was sure of it.

But then, Severus smirked and said, "I'm just kidding, son. Relax."

"Oh, right, yeah," Harry smiled back, color slowly returning to his face.

"Dinner's ready!" Molly called out through the house.

Harry was so happy to have an excuse to end his conversation with his father, though he felt even more guilty for even wanting to end it.

"Well, dinner's ready, Dad. I'll talk to you soon?"

Severus offered a smile, but Harry was sad to see slight disappointment in his father's eyes. Now the butterflies in his stomach were raging around, beating their wings against the walls of his stomach. He really felt like he was going to throw up now. He was a terrible son for wanting to end a conversation with his own father.

"Alright. I miss you, Harry."

"Miss you, too, Dad."

Once Severus withdrew from the flames and Harry stood up, the boy nearly had a heart attack when he saw Percy standing behind him with his arms crossed and a knowing look on his face.

"You want to tell him about last night, don't you?" Percy said.

"Well . . ." Harry rubbed the back of his neck before admitting, "yeah, I guess I do."

"You should," Percy encouraged. "It would be the right thing to do. If you don't, your guilt will just get worse until you are physically sick."

"I don't get it," Harry said, knowing he already was physically sick. "The twins and Ron seem fine."

"Everyone responds differently to guilt. And some are just able to push it behind them. Come, it's dinner time."

* * *

After withdrawing from the flames, Severus sighed. He could tell something was bothering his son and he was sure it had to do with the events of last night. He knew the boy had gone on a flying adventure in a very dangerous flying car, but Severus was sure there was more to it. Did something happen during the trip? He hoped Harry talked to him soon and got whatever it was off his chest.

Severus turned from the fireplace in time to see Sam's white mist solidify in midair and crash to the ground, rolling on the floor and crashing into the wall bookshelf, breaking a shelf and knocking books to the floor.

"Sam!" Severus moved towards the fox. "I think you might need to freshen up on some flying classes. Have you been at Hogwarts this whole time?"

Sam didn't answer, nor did the fox move from where he had crashed, the broken shelf and books still lying on top of him. Severus frowned in concern and moved closer to the fox, dragging the animal away from the wall. Sam was salivating excessively, and Severus wiped off his hand on his robe.

And then he saw it.

A puncture wound – two actually – on the fox's shoulder. The wound seemed to be a small bite wound – but from what animal? Blood seemed to have dried on the fur. Severus couldn't really see much else due to the fur, but he knew that something was wrong with the fox.

"Sam, what happened?" Severus said, making sure the bite wasn't still bleeding. It almost reminded Severus of a . . .

 _: Black mamba_ , Sam managed to push his word into Severus's head.

"What!? Where the bloody hell did you go – Africa?"

 _: Long story. My kitsune magic is what is keeping me alive, though,_ Sam snarled slightly, his breathing harsh and labored.

Getting the picture, Severus stood and rushed to his lab. Where on earth would Sam encounter a black mamba? How on earth did he encounter one? And didn't those snakes usually strike more than once? Severus searched his stock for what he needed, hoping he wasn't out of stock on them. He found and grabbed an antivenom potion and a special venom-absorbing bezoar, just to be safe. He ran back out to the living room where Sam was convulsing on the floor. Damn it, Severus couldn't help but think as he kneeled near the seizing fox. How long ago had Sam been bitten?

Although, seizures were rather atypical of black mamba venom – usually paralysis occurred. Severus was sure this was due to Sam's own magic trying to fight off the venom – and failing.

Severus summoned an anticonvulsant he had seen when he was searching for the antivenom and bezoar. He spelled the anticonvulsant into the fox's stomach first, knowing that it would be best over trying to shove it down the spasming throat. After a few seconds, the fox stopped seizing and Severus quickly summoned a syringe and drew up a large dose of the antivenom. He wanted this potion in before the bezoar since the antivenom would specifically target the snake's toxin quicker while the bezoar was just an added bonus. Severus gently lifted the fox's head and slowly poured the potion into the semiconscious fox's mouth, making sure Sam actually swallowed to avoid aspiration.

Once he gave the potion a couple minutes to work, Severus picked up the bezoar and tried to force the fox to swallow it. However, Sam's seemed to reject the bezoar and snapped his jaws shut.

"Come on, Sam," Severus growled under his breath. "I'm trying to help you. Open your mouth."

Sam growled more, weakly pulling his head away.

"Sam, I can't spell this into your stomach like a potion. The texture can be irritating if not coated in mucus first which will happen with naturally swallowing it. It isn't that bad, now swallow it or I'll ask Madam Pomfrey for activated charcoal to shove down your throat as well!"

Sam growled once more before reluctantly opening his mouth and allowing the strange object to be forced into his mouth and he did his best to swallow it, choking slightly. He pulled away from Severus once more, resting his head on the floor again, feeling weak and agitated. Sighing, Severus lifted the fox and carried him to the dog bed to rest. Severus couldn't promise that his tricks would cure the fox. He could only hope they did enough for the kitsune to heal.

Sitting down next to Sam's bed, Severus stroked the fox's fur briefly before asking, "What happened, Sam? How did you get bit by a black mamba?"

 _: The necklace I wear,_ Sam answered after an intense moment of silence. _The tooth is more than just a stylish trinket. It has the unique ability to grant demands given to it._

"Like a wish?" Severus questioned, though he had no idea what the tooth had to do with being bitten by a mamba.

 _: No, like a demand. Like an order. Although, a wish would be using nicer terms. I guess saying that it grants wishes gives a better idea as to what it does._

"Then why do you say demand?"

 _: Because you cannot just ask the tooth for something. It will not work to be polite. You must be forceful; you must order it to do something to get the magic to work. I told it to show me the danger that house elf spoke of and it led me to a bathroom. I believe that elf is insane. I saw nothing that could be a threat there, though I had a strange experience on the way to the bathroom. Regardless, it doesn't seem that Harry will be in any peril._

"That's good to hear. And the mamba?"

 _: Whenever one uses the magic of the tooth, that person must pay a price for it. It is not always a win-lose situation, but oftentimes, it is. And because I used it to search for the danger I sought, I am bitten by a black mamba. I do not quite understand the correlation. There usually is one, but I guess for this case, there isn't. Unless searching for danger and facing literate danger – I guess that might be it._

Sam narrowed his eyes in thought, Severus frowning in thought as well. Severus had never really asked about the necklace before, nor did he ever show much interest. However, hearing that the tooth had magical properties sparked his curiosity. How was that even possible? Where did Sam find it? And if it had such power . . . it sounded a lot like dark magic. Severus refrained from asking his questions however. Sam would share that information when he wanted to. And clearly, Sam wasn't taking advantage of the necklace and power he clearly had in his hands – or paws.

 _: Thank you, Severus,_ Sam suddenly said, lifting his head to look at the man.

"Of course, Sam," Severus smiled at the fox. Severus briefly wondered if the fox was aware of what he had been thinking, momentarily forgetting the fox could hear thoughts that were open enough to him. Sam was still a little weak looking from the venom, and Severus hoped he was too disoriented to be listening for his thoughts. But if Sam had heard, the fox never said a word.

* * *

Later that night, Harry found himself unable to sleep. Molly had sent everyone to bed almost two hours ago, but Harry couldn't seem to shut his eyes for more than a couple seconds. He tossed and turned in his bed, trying to keep quiet so he didn't wake Ron. He couldn't keep doing this all night. He knew what he had to do.

Crawling out of bed, Harry tiptoed down the stairs and to the fireplace. He was just reaching for the floo powder when a lit candle made him freeze.

"Harry?" It was Arthur.

"Sorry, sir," Harry instantly apologized, looking down at his bare feet. "Did I wake you?"

"Of course not," Arthur smiled. "I was just coming back inside, actually. I had to fix a lever in the car. What are you doing up?"

"I was . . . err . . ."

"You were reaching for the floo powder. Did you want to call your father?"

"Well, not call him . . ."

Arthur nodded in understanding. "You want to go home."

"Just for the night, if that's okay. I didn't mean to look like I was leaving without telling you or . . . something."

"You kind of were, you know," Arthur laughed softly.

Harry smiled at the man.

"I've noticed you seemed troubled during dinner. Does this have to do with your little late-night flight with my sons?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, if you need to talk to your dad about that, then you do so."

"Thank you, Arthur," Harry grabbed some floo powder. "I'll be back in the morning."

"Goodnight, Harry."

Harry flooed to Snape Manor and quietly entered his living room. It was dark in the house, but Harry knew his way around instinctively. He walked up the stairs and was about to head for his father's room when he saw a light streaking through the cracks of the closed bathroom door in the hallway. Frowning, Harry made his way towards that bathroom. He pushed the door open and paused at the sight.

Sam was lying in the bathtub, surrounded by hundreds of ice cubes, and Severus was sitting on the rim of the tub. They both looked at Harry with surprised faces.

"Harry," Severus frowned, but beaconed his son closer with a finger, "I didn't hear the floo. Though I wasn't expecting you tonight. Are you okay?"

"I'm . . . fine," Harry said as he stopped at his father's side, leaning into his father as the man put an arm around his waist. He looked down at Sam in the tub. "Is something wrong with Sam?"

"Just a reaction to the antivenom I gave him earlier," Severus explained, looking back down at the fox. "He had a fever that kept rising at an alarming rate. So, a little fever reducer and some ice to cool him down."

"Antivenom?"

"Sam was bitten by a snake. He's lucky to be alive right now."

Harry then noticed the bite wound on Sam's shoulder. He could clearly see two puncture wounds that reminded him of a snake bite. But Harry couldn't think of a snake poisonous enough in Britain that would cause death so quickly. An adder, though it could land a nasty bite, wouldn't necessarily be deadly enough to end a life.

 _: It's a long story,_ Sam said, adjusting his burning head on some ice cubes. _But what brings you here?_

"I couldn't sleep," Harry answered honestly.

"Why's that?" Severus gave his son a concerned look, brushing the boy's hair back.

"Well, I guess . . . I haven't . . . well, I . . ." Harry sighed in frustration before saying, "remember when you asked me if I had a guilty conscience earlier?"

"I do."

"Well, you were right."

Severus merely raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't been exactly honest with you about how my week has been going."

Harry waited for Severus to say something, but when the man remained silent, he decided to just keep talking.

"Anyway, you see, the twins, Ron and I went to London last night."

"And how did you four children get to London?" Severus finally asked.

Harry gulped, but there was no taking back his words. And he really needed to get this off his chest.

"The twins flew Mr. Weasley's car," Harry answered.

"They flew a car?"

Harry watched his father's reaction closely. The man seemed awfully calm with this news. Too calm. Harry wasn't sure if he should consider this a good or bad thing. He was surprised his father wasn't already yelling at him for his stupidity in joining the twins for a late night flight in a dangerous flying vehicle.

"That's not what's been really bugging me though," Harry said. But then he stopped there. He struggled to find the next words to tell his father what was driving him insane.

Severus seemed to notice his discomfort and struggle. He pulled his son into a quick hug and whispered in his ear, "You can tell me anything, son. I'll always listen. It doesn't matter what time of day or night, or whatever the situation may be. I promise to listen to you completely before anything else. I'm here to help you when you need me. Alright?"

"Yes, Dad," Harry smiled softly. The incident with the elf had not been long ago but Harry knew his trust in his father had strengthened greatly in the last few weeks. It was incredible, really. Harry decided it was now or never. "The twins wanted to go to London to get fireworks. But in order to get them, they had to steal them. And they stole a lot and put on a show. And they also got candy. And I was there with them."

Harry chanced a glance at his father, but was surprised to see not a frown but a small smile. Sam also smiled up at him from where he had his head rested on a pile of ice cubes.

"I am very proud that you came to me and told me the truth, son," Severus admitted.

Harry felt his whole body relax against his father. Those words filled him with relief and eased the tension he had been feeling all day.

"It takes a lot of bravery to do what you just did, my little Gryffindor," Harry blushed when his father called him that. "But I will have to inform Mr. And Mrs. Weasley of what you have told me. I'm sure they are unaware of the stealing part of your adventure, hmm?'

"No, they don't know about that. But do you have to tell Molly and Arthur?"

"I do. This is serious, Harry. You know how serious stealing can be. What if you four had been caught by Aurors? And with no adults around? I would have had to come pick you up from their office since you are a minor."

"I know and I'm sorry. But Sam was with us."

Severus glared down at the fox, "And Sam and I will have a discussion on that later. Specifically, the stealing aspect. Be glad you're sick, fox."

Sam merely smirked up at Severus, his ears perking up, but he didn't bother saying anything or lifting his head. Severus shook his head as he continued, "Regardless, the Weasleys' parents must know about this and I will inform them first thing in the morning."

"What if the twins and Ron are mad at me for telling you?"

"If they are true friends, they will understand."

Harry nodded. He was sure that they were the truest of friends.

"So, am I in trouble, too?"

"Of course," Severus said casually, turning on the tub faucet and using a spell that turned the water into ice cubes. Harry groaned as he watched his father move the ice cubes around the fox and cast a drying charm on where melting ice had soaked Sam's fur. "But, I will give you a choice for your punishment."

Harry's face fell at the mention of punishment, but he nodded and said, "Okay."

"You can either stay the rest of the night here and be here when I inform Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, or you can return to the Weasleys' and be there tomorrow when I inform them."

"That's it?" Harry asked with a frown. Surely there was a catch . . .

"I believe your little guilt trip was punishment enough. So, what shall it be?"

Harry smiled, glad that he was getting off the hook for this adventure. Well, besides his feeling terrible all day. That had been punishment enough. He felt really tired now and he figured it would just be easier to head back to the Weasleys' in the morning.

"I'd like to stay here for the night."

Severus pulled Harry down and gave him a kiss on his temple. "It's late. You know where your bed is. I'll be in to say goodnight when I'm finished with Sam."

"Okay. Night Dad, night Sam." Harry kissed his father's cheek and reached down to pat Sam's head.

Harry felt relieved that he had gotten everything off his chest and mind. He entered his bedroom and fell over on his bed, not even bothering to crawl under the covers. He closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

Twenty minutes later, Severus entered his son's room and smiled at the sight of his exhausted boy. He had just carried Sam back to the fox's bed since Sam was still weak and now he had to properly tuck in his son. Severus lifted his boy and pulled back the blankets. Once Harry was settled, he covered him and sat on the edge of the bed. He smiled sown at his son. The boy had no idea that his actions made Severus's chest swell with pride. Even though he didn't like the little adventure the boy had been on, there was hardly anything he could do about it now. He was just glad Harry had found the strength to confide in him. Especially after the incident with the elf.

Severus leaned down and kissed his son's cheek, whispering, "Sweet dreams, son," before standing and leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Well, hope it made up for the wait. Maybe? I promise to update more of my stories soon! Thanks again for being patient with me.


	11. Crime Does Not Pay

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! This is a shorter chapter, but as always, necessary. Enjoy!

* * *

"So, you guys aren't mad?" Harry asked the twins and Ron as he stood next to them in a line against the wall. He had just flooed back from his father's and Arthur told him to stand with the others while the man and Molly spoke to Severus.

"Of course not," Fred smiled. "We wouldn't want you constantly feeling bad for something we did."

"Besides," George added with a wink, "it gives us a reason to prank you."

"Great," Harry muttered. Ron just rolled his eyes and offered Harry a smile. Harry smiled back. He did have the truest of friends here.

"No talking boys," Arthur told them, pinning them to the wall with a stern look before looking back at Severus's flaming head. Harry listened to what they were saying.

"I know it's in the past now, but I still think punishment is in order," Molly insisted.

"Oh, I most certainly agree," Severus replied. Of course you do, Harry thought moodily. His father kept speaking. "What did you have in mind, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Well, I believe the boys must go back to the joke shop and make a formal apology. Then, I will see if there is anything they can do to make up for those stolen fireworks and candy. I just hope the owner doesn't press chargers."

"Let me know if they do," Severus said. "I will assuredly contribute on my son's behalf."

"We'll let you know what happens, Severus," Arthur said.

After their goodbyes, Severus disappeared from the flames and Molly and Arthur glared at the children. Molly was quick to speak, her eyes flashing.

"So not only did you steal that car for some late-night fun, you stole fireworks from a shop! You are too young to be handling fireworks anyway! Do you have any idea how dangerous those are? Someone could have been hurt that night. And then stealing the fireworks on top of that!? You four could have gotten in serious trouble with the Aurors if you had been caught! We could have been fined! I will not allow you four to become some common thieves! You should be ashamed of yourselves! All of you!"

The four boys kept their heads lowered shamefully as they were scolded.

"Now, boys," Arthur spoke up, "you know we must all do the right thing here. But we all know nothing can replace those fireworks. However, you will apologize to the shop owner today on our trip to Diagon Alley, explaining in detail what you four did. Then, we will see what the owner wishes to do. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the boys chorused.

"Good. Let's go then, shall we."

Once at Diagon Alley, the entire Weasley family plus Harry found themselves at Gambol and Japes. Harry's heart raced nervously as he entered with everyone else. He recognized the lady behind the counter as Amorette. She looked up bemused as the family made a beeline straight for the counter.

"Hello," she greeted formally, "welcome to Gambol and Japes. May I help you?"

"We need to speak to the owner," Arthur stated, pushing the twins forward while Molly directed Harry and Ron forward as well.

Amorette frowned but nodded and left through a door in the back, disappearing for a few minutes. When she came back, an older, heavy-set man with a white beard and mustache appeared, wearing a red and purple vest, a hat of the same colors, and a yellow bowtie. He was rather bizarre looking, and Harry frowned at him.

"Mr. Gambol at your service," the man smiled happily, reaching out a hand to shake Arthur's and then Molly's. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," Molly said, "my boys have something they'd like to tell you."

When no one spoke, Arthur gave Fred a rather rough encouraging nudge. Fred glared back briefly at his father, who just motioned at Gambol pointedly with his head, silently telling all the boys to get on with it. Fred sighed.

"Well, you see, sir," Fred began, George adding parts.

"A couple nights ago, my brothers, friend and I stopped by here. We were having a night out together, but we wanted a firework show to really end our adventure . . ."

"But you see, the silly law makes us too young to buy fireworks, so we really had no other choice but to . . . permanently borrow them from your shop . . ."

"Steal," George corrected when Arthur smacked him and Fred on the back of the head, making them wince. "We mean steal. We stole fireworks from here and then some candy. All that stealing made us rather hungry."

"We were with them, too," Ron spoke up, not wanting to be smacked by his father.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "And we didn't do anything to stop them. We were just having fun."

"And," Fred took over, him and George simultaneously saying, "we are very sorry."

"It was wrong to steal, we know and knew that then."

"But we did it anyway. And we deserve whatever punishment you give us."

"Yeah, but go easy. We're kids."

"Boys!" Arthur exclaimed exasperatedly.

Mr. Gambol was silent for a minute, taking in the sight of the four miscreants.

"You're funny boys," he finally spoke. "I can tell that you four were just looking to have some fun, but stealing is wrong. Do you know how that effects my sales and profit? Losing all those values from my shop without a single knut? It cost good money to have those shipped here."

"We will pay for the lost goods," Arthur nodded, "we just need some time and we can set up a –"

"No need," the man smiled, looking at the large family patiently waiting around them. "I believe a little free labor will make up for the cost of those fireworks. I just had new shipments come in that must be stocked on the shelves. You two boys look like you can do some heavy lifting. And you two – I've got a shelf of knickknacks that need to be arranged in alphabetical order. Kids are constantly shuffling through and putting things in the wrong section. You could work on that."

Harry and Ron nodded, biting back a groan at the idea of work – especially if they weren't going to be paid. The twins nodded as well, looking at the many heavy boxes full of stuff to be shelved.

"How does that sound to you folks?" Mr. Gambol asked, looking at Arthur and Molly.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Molly said, a bit of relief in her voice. "How long will you be keeping them? Would you like them to return for the rest of the week?"

The four boys' eyes widened at what Molly said. Was she really encouraging the man to make them work all week?

"Just the day shall do. Perhaps they stay here under Amorette's watchful eyes until four this evening. I'll even provide a little lunch for the troublemakers."

Harry bit back a sigh. It was only ten in the morning. This was going to be a long day.

"Well," Molly said, looking at Arthur who nodded. "That sounds agreeable. That gives us plenty of time to shop. We have the boys' lists so we can gather what they need. And we can send Severus a patronus explaining what the verdict is."

"Sounds good," Arthur smiled, turning to look at Mr. Gambol, "and thank you so much, sir, for –"

"No-no," Mr. Gambol waved his hands, "no thank yous needed. Lessons like these must be taught to our younger generation. It is important that they know all actions have consequences."

After the Weasleys' departed, leaving behind Fred, George, Ron, and Harry, Mr. Gambol spoke privately to Amorette away from the children, though still in eye's reach. The boys spoke quietly amongst themselves.

"At least he didn't press any charges," George said seriously.

"He seems like a nice guy," Fred commented. "I mean, you have to be nice and fun to run a shop like this. This is the dream place of all jokers."

"Guys, we are so lucky to be getting off this easy!" Ron insisted.

"Ron's right," Harry said, "this could have been so much worse. We are lucky."

"Worse?" Fred exclaimed. "What's worse than hard, physical labor with no pay? Putting these babies to work costs extra." He playfully flexed his arms.

George shoved Fred, but before he could say anything, Mr. Gambol and Amorette came back.

"Alright, boys. Time to put that energy to good use. Amorette will show you what you need to do, and I will gather us lunch later. You are to work efficiently and quietly and do not interfere with customers. And no magic – not that you children can use it right now anyway. If you do a satisfactory job, I'll push this whole incident behind us. If you fool around, laze about, and do not complete your tasks, I will have to press chargers against your parents. Now I'm sure such fines can be lived without, hmm?"

"Yes, sir," the boys chorused.

"Amorette, I'm leaving you in charge. If you need me, I'll be in my office until noon, but I'll be back within thirty minutes."

"Yes, sir," Amorette nodded.

Mr. Gambol left. Amorette glared down at the four boys.

"Well," she began, obvious dislike in her voice, "because of you four, I've received my first strike since I clearly allowed you to rob this store a couple nights back. I must give you my gratitude."

The four boys kept their heads lowered, allowing the woman to rant at them. She sighed and waved a hand to motion the boys to follow her. She led them to the many stacked boxes, looking at Fred and George.

"Take these boxes over to those empty shelves against the wall. Take everything out and arrange them orderly on the shelves, alphabetically, if you can. You can take the empty boxes out that door there and leave them in the back."

Fred and George nodded, recognizing the back door as the one they had snuck in through. Amorette told them to get to work and then led Harry and Ron to a shelf unit across from Fred and George. There were knickknacks of all kinds: dungbombs, frog spawn soap, nose-biting teacups, self-inking and spell-checking quills, and a large array of candy. The shelves had labels of where the different products should be, but the items were scattered all around. Amorette instructed them to go through all the shelves and put the items in the correct place. She moved a ladder their way, so they could reach the higher shelves. Harry and Ron sighed, but quickly got to work.

* * *

An hour passed, and Harry and Ron found that rearranging the shelves was trickier than they originally thought it would be. Items hid craftily among other items, and some joke products actually turned invisible for a certain period of time, reappearing in an area the two boys swore they had checked thoroughly. This was terrible! At least the twins had managed to finish one shelf, the very top with many stuffed animals whose eyes literally popped out - a real scare for little kids.

Ron picked up an object and smirked at it, showing it to Harry who was up on the ladder. Harry took it and read the label: Fresh Breath. It was the breath spray Sam had found that had turned sour. Harry smiled at the memory, even though the image of the kitsune kissing the witch still grossed him out. Sam should be punished for that adventure, too. It wasn't fair that the fox always got away with everything.

Just as those thoughts rang through his head, the bell above the door chimed and he glanced at who had entered.

His eyes widened as he saw Sam, in human form wearing a silky black robe and carrying two drinks, enter the shop. Ron looked up at him with a confused look and Harry shrugged.

"Samuru!" Amorette happily cried, moving from around the counter, "I didn't think I'd see you again!"

"I told you I'd find you," Sam smiled, his teeth illusioned to look normal instead of pointy. He handed Amorette one of the drinks he had. "Here you are; this is for you."

Amorette breathed in the smell of whatever it was – Harry assumed it was coffee. She seemed to hum in delight as she took a sip, fluttering her eyes at Sam.

"Delicious. I'm surprised you remembered our talk on coffee. Is that pumpkin juice?"

"Yep," Sam smirked as he sipped his own drink. "I was just passing by and I had to come in and see you. What are you up to?"

"Monitoring these little thieves," Amorette motioned to the boys in the room. She shook her head disapprovingly. "Can you believe they stole fireworks from here a couple nights ago?"

"Did they really? Such naughty children," Sam smirked in Harry's direction, who threw a glare the fox's way. Ron rolled his eyes and the twins turned and glared at Sam.

"You have no idea how mad my boss is with me right now," Amorette said, setting her coffee down on the counter. She brushed back a strand of curly hair agitatedly. "I usually do the night shifts and close shop, but I swear I had no idea these children were even here! Sneaky little Gryffindors."

"Kids these days," Sam shook his head. "Good to see them getting what they deserve. I take it you went to Hogwarts."

"I did. What school did you go to?"

Sam choked on his pumpkin juice as he said, "Oh me? Err – Mahoutokoro."

Harry paused while climbing up the ladder as he heard the name of the Japanese school. He wondered where Sam may have heard of the name or if he had ever actually seen or even been to the school. Or if Sam had completely guessed on the name.

"So, you are from Japan. I had figured as much. You know, if you'd like to stay and help out, or lunch is soon, we could . . ."

"Isn't this a professional business?" Harry turned and glared at Sam specifically.

"Get back to work, kid," Sam told Harry with a sly smile. "Adults are talking."

Harry angrily turned back to what he was doing. He was going to get Sam back for this. Ron sent Sam a glare as well.

"Well," Amorette sounded uneasy now. "As much as I hate to admit it, the boy is right. My boss is in his office, and if he sees me talking with you, he may kick you out."

"I'm sure I can talk some reason into him. Of course, He'd have to come out of his office first."

"Good point," Amorette laughed.

"Well, I came to say that I have to return to my home country today, but I couldn't leave without staring into your sparkling eyes one last time."

"Wait, you're leaving?"

"Things came up. And I regret to say that I may not return for a very long time."

"But . . ." Amorette's face fell as she stared at Samuru. "I thought we . . . are you sure you have to leave?"

"Pretty sure," Sam smiled amused.

"I . . . I would like to give you something before you go. Wait here."

Amorette left through the door she had gone to get Mr. Gambol. Harry took advantage of her absence.

"Return to your home country, huh?" Harry glared at Sam, jumping off the ladder and walking up to the kitsune.

"More or less," Sam smirked down at Harry, his fox ears flicking in his thick, bushy hair. He set his drink down on the counter.

"More like less," Fred called to Sam from the top of his ladder as he worked on the second shelf.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked. "Really doing here? You must be feeling better if you're up and moving."

"Oh, much better. I heard from your father that your punishment was to do some work here. I was actually accompanying him on a trip here to pick up a few things for his classes: ingredients, extra cauldrons, cutting and grinding tools. You know the list."

"So, what are you doing here?" Harry pushed. "Why aren't you with Dad?"

"I just thought I'd check in on my four amateur thieves. And give my final goodbyes to Amorette. It was quite rude to leave her in a hopeful state, awaiting my return. Surely you appreciate my doing so."

"Not really! And you should be working here, too! You helped steal those fireworks!"

"Yes, but I make sure not to get caught," Sam said, guiding Harry back over to the shelf unit with a hand on the boy's shoulder. "And when I do get caught, I make sure not to get in trouble."

Before Harry could retort, Amorette reappeared.

"Samuru!" she called happily. She frowned briefly. "What's happening out here?"

"Nothing I couldn't take care of for you, my beauty," Sam smiled, walking away from Harry, who grumbled as he joined Ron in searching through a section. "Just making sure these children don't slack off in your absence."

"Why, thank you, Samuru," Amorette smiled, keeping a hand behind her back as she walked over to the kitsune. "You are such a gentleman. Here, I'd like you to have this."

Harry looked over his shoulder to see what Amorette handed to Sam. It was a small, flowery hair comb, a piece that slid into the hair and stayed, Harry figured. He had never really seen hair combs like that before.

"Now," Amorette continued, "you'll have something to remember me by in Japan."

"As if I could ever forget you," Sam smiled, accepting the little gift. "I will treasure it always. Now, I really must be going . . ."

"Oh, Samuru," Amorette made a sad face as she moved closer to Sam. "Well, you won't leave without a . . . kiss goodbye, will you?"

"Never," Sam said as he pulled Amorette into a deep kiss.

Harry groaned as he covered his eyes and Ron made a disgusted face. The twins snorted as they carried another box over to continue organizing the second shelf. To Harry, the kiss went on forever and he wondered how the two were even breathing still. Was it even normal to kiss for so long? Finally, they pulled away, though Amorette seemed sad that it had ended.

"Well," Sam said in a sad tone as he picked up his drink, "I should be on my way. But now, when I look up into the starless night sky, I will remember, with this, that the stars are here, glittering in those beautiful eyes of yours." Sam held up the comb pointedly, clutching it to his chest like a lifeline.

"I'll miss you Samuru!" Amorette said.

"And I, you," Sam returned.

George sent a whistle Sam's way while Fred pretended to make out with himself. Sam paused and stared intently up at the top shelf where the stuffed animals were, using mind magic to cause the toys to fall to the floor, dropping on the twins, effectively wiping out their playful mood. He smirked as he continued on. They gaped as they watched Sam disappear from the shop.

"Boys!' Amorette snapped. "Get back to work."

"Wait!" Fred shouted. "We did that top shelf – you saw us do it! He ruined our hard work! That shouldn't count. You saw what he did."

"I didn't see anything," Amorette smirked. "I suggest you hurry up and get everything done."

The twins groaned and picked up the stuffed animals, shoving them in an empty box to get them back up to the top shelf. Harry and Ron felt bad for the twins.

"Sometimes I can't stand that fox," Harry grumbled.

After a long day of work, the twins, Harry, and Ron were allowed to leave the shop without any additional charges. Percy had arrived to pick them up. On their way back to the other Weasleys, Harry spotted Remus.

"Uncle Remus!" he greeted happily.

"Hey, kiddo," Remus smiled, pausing in front of the group. "I heard you four got into a spot of trouble. How was the labor?"

"Terrible," everyone agreed. Remus laughed.

"Well, hopefully there will be no more stealing," Remus gave them all a pointed look.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Harry, I stopped by a muggle book shop and found this," Remus dug through a bag he was carrying. "I know you've been wanting to read it and it's the perfect edition . . . where did I put it? . . . Ahh, here it is."

Remus held out a hardcover book to Harry, who accepted it and looked at the title. _Ivanhoe_ by Sir Walter Scott. Harry beamed. He had been wanting to read this book after Remus had shared a part of the story with him. It sounded so cool and adventurous. It was an edition for younger readers, but Remus told him it was to make reading it a bit easier.

"Thanks, Uncle! I'll start reading right away!"

"I knew you'd like it."

"Well," Percy interrupted, "we should really be going. Mum gets worried when we run late."

"Of course," Remus nodded. "I'll let you guys go."

Remus walked away, listening as Harry explained what he knew already about the book to Ron and the twins, who asked various questions about the muggle book. He smirked as he made his way to the apothecary, where Severus was stepping out with fox-sized Sam at his heel, the fox carrying some object in his mouth.

"Right on time," Severus remarked, reaching into his robe, pulling out two vials of wolfsbane. "I would have brewed more, but I was rather short on time."

"Whatever you do is always more than enough, Severus," Remus said, accepting the vials and putting them in his bag. "I ran into your troublemaker and his musketeers."

"Did you? How'd he look?"

"Tired."

"As he should be. That tells me he worked hard."

"I delivered that book to him. He seemed excited to start reading it."

"You mean _Ivanhoe_? If he becomes obsessed with that, remember, it was you that got him interested."

"There's nothing wrong with liking a book."

"No, unless it interferes with school and his learning."

"I'm sure it won't. Evening, Sam. What do you have?"

"You noticed it, too? He left me earlier for a while then came back with that thing."

 _: It was a gift,_ Sam said, giving his tails a wag and lifting his head more to show off the hair comb. _She gave it to me. She likes me._

"She?" Remus's eyebrows shot up. "Sheesh, Sam, it seems you've had more action today than I have all year. You'll have to give me some pointers."

"I wouldn't take advice from a fox, Remus," Severus said. "He's a troublemaker. And I bet he plays those poor ladies like a fiddle."

 _: You'd never believe it,_ Sam smiled slyly up at Severus and Remus. _But suit yourself, bachelors._

Severus snorted, and Remus chuckled. Severus sighed as he thought about having to worry about one danger-seeking troublemaker – and now he had to be concerned about a heart-breaking troublemaker. Where was Sam going to keep that comb anyway? Perhaps in that stash of goods the fox had buried outside Snape Manor. Severus just shook his head at Sam.

* * *

I know I said Sam wouldn't meet up with that lady again, but he couldn't pass off that one opportunity to annoy Harry and his friends. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And that Ivanhoe book has more significance than just something Harry is interested in. You'll find out in later chapters.


	12. Prank War

Thanks for all the great reviews! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

"Let me ask Dad and I'll see if I can come over," Draco said, pulling his head out of the flames.

Harry waited patiently. He, Ron, and the twins were going to be home alone (with Percy babysitting, of course) while Molly and Ginny had a girls' day out and Arthur was at work. Harry had asked Molly if Draco could come over and she had agreed happily. Harry knew now that the only one who could prevent Draco from coming over was Uncle Lucius. Honestly, it depended on the man's mood and if he was having a good day at work or not. He could be a very reasonable and nice man – or he could be miserable and condescending. In Harry's opinion, being rich brought out the worst in some people.

Draco appeared in the flames with a big grin on his face.

"Dad said yes!" Draco happily said. "On one condition – that there is a responsible adult or older child home and that I am home by six tonight. Oh – and I, of course, have to follow all the rules here. And behave like a well-mannered gentleman as I've been taught."

"Well," Harry frowned, "Percy's here. He'll be watching us. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are both heading out today. Is that okay?"

"Let me check." Draco's head disappeared again. Harry waited for a moment before Draco appeared again with an annoyed expression. "Dad wants to talk to Percy. He wants to make sure he is in fact a responsible adult who won't let anything happen to me and will make sure I keep in line. Can you send him over?"

"Send Percy?" Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "Over to your place? Uh . . . sure. Uncle Luc doesn't plan on scaring Percy, does he?"

"Just a little," Draco smirked, withdrawing from the flames.

"Oh boy," Harry said, standing up from where he had been sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Is Draco coming over, Harry?" Molly asked as Harry walked into the kitchen.

"Well . . ." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Uncle Lucius wants to speak to Percy first, since he will be the only responsible one here and all. Is it okay if he heads over to Malfoy Manor? I'll go with him, just to see Draco in case he says no."

And to make sure Uncle Lucius doesn't interrogate Percy endlessly, Harry added in his head.

"Of course," Molly smiled, walking into the dining room where Percy was eating breakfast with everyone else. "Percy, dear, I need you to go over to Malfoy Manor and speak to Mr. Malfoy about having Draco come over. He is very insistent on meeting you. He probably just wants to know his son will be in good hands."

Percy had dropped his apple when he heard the destination and it rolled to the floor, where Sam eagerly pounced on it, chomping away at the core and everything. Harry snorted but then looked at Percy's pale face.

"Err, yeah, sure," Percy said, standing. He ignored the twins snickering but did seem to appreciate Ron and Ginny's concerned and sympathetic looks. "I can do that. Do you want me to floo over now?"

"If you don't mind," Molly nodded. "Harry would like to go with you."

"Okay," Percy motioned Harry to follow. Once alone in front of the fireplace, Percy looked down at Harry. "Last I knew, I thought Mr. Malfoy hated our family."

It would have been true in the original reality, Harry knew. But here, after the wizarding war and all that had happened with Lucius, family became more important than power – though the man's status was still right up there at second best. But Lucius seemed to care about Draco's happiness more than anything – and if Draco was happy being friends with Harry and Ron, then Lucius would make sure Draco spent time with them. Even if it meant putting up with "riff-raff." The man's words, not his.

"He doesn't mind your family," Harry corrected, as Percy grabbed a handful of floo powder. "But only because Draco likes hanging out with Ron and the twins."

"Why don't you go first?" Percy suggested. "He knows you better than me."

"Chicken," Harry smiled as he grabbed floo powder and shouted out his destination. He arrived in the large living room of Malfoy Manor, where Lucius and Draco were waiting. Malfoy Manor was huge compared to his own home – heck, it could swallow Snape Manor twice and still have room for dessert.

"Good morning, Harry," Lucius smiled.

"Morning, Uncle Lucius," Harry said, hugging the man who patted his back once. Harry stood next to Draco and waited while the floo flared and Percy stepped out. Draco was smiling all too happily as he watched Percy awkwardly step out, trying to watch his posture as he consciously brushed soot off his robe.

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy," Percy greeted, holding out a hand.

"Percy Weasley," Lucius smiled, shaking Percy's hand. "Tell me, lad, how old are you?"

"I'm, err . . . uhh, I umm, 16, sir."

"Eloquent," Lucius commented, beckoning slightly with his silver cane. "And almost of age. Come, let's talk in my study. We'll let the kiddies play out here."

Percy visibly gulped when Lucius's back was turned but followed the man to his study. When the door closed behind them, Draco ran to it and pressed his ear to the wood, leaning heavily against the door. Harry followed him, but with more hesitation.

"Draco!" Came Lucius's voice from what sounded like everywhere. "If I catch you eavesdropping, you will be going nowhere but to your room!"

Draco sighed and pulled away from the door, crossing his arms and pouting as he mumbled, "stupid baby monitor spell."

Harry smirked, glad his own father didn't bother with those, especially since Sam came into their lives.

"So, Harry, what's the plan for the day? Do the twins have anything up their sleeves?"

"Yeah," Harry followed Draco to the couch and sat next to him. He glanced around secretively before whispering in Draco's ears, "they found the perfect way to get back at Sam for leaving us to do all that work! Remember when I told you about the car incident and all the work we had to do? It's ingenious! And they are setting up a prank as we speak to get Percy."

"Sounds like they are starting a prank war," Draco grinned.

"They are. Ron and I have been working on something all day yesterday to get the twins! You'll love it!"

"I can't wait to get involved. Hopefully Percy survives my Dad's interrogation."

"Poor Percy. Why does Uncle Luc have to interrogate everyone who comes within thirty feet of you?"

"Overprotective Dad I guess. Though honestly, I think Mum's interrogations are worse. She subtly threatens everyone with their lives but comes off all sweet!"

"That's what mother's do," Narcissa said, startling the two boys who jumped. She set a plate of Turkish delight down on the coffee table. "I have to make sure my baby is in the best hands if I'm to ever leave him alone. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my poor little dragon."

"Mum," Draco groaned, his face turning red. "You're embarrassing me."

"Oh, hush down and have a snack before you go. Tea?"

Narcissa tapped the table and a teapot and cups appeared. She poured tea in each cup and dropped a single sugar cube in each one before tapping the table once more, causing the teapot and sugar to vanish. "No need drinking too much sugar now. Enjoy boys. I'm going to check on your father and Mr. Weasley."

"Poor Percy," Draco shook his head as he munched on Turkish delight. "Mum will make sure Dad doesn't get too harsh with him, but she's going to also explain to Percy just how "valuable" my life is and what it would mean should "anything happen to me."" Draco turned back around and picked up his teacup. He took a quick sip. "And this needs more sugar."

Harry picked up the other teacup and sipped it hesitantly. He smacked his lips and nodded his head, "You're right, it does need more sugar." Harry picked up a Turkish delight and held it up pointedly. "And I have the perfect solution." He dunked the sweet into the drink and swirled it around, making sure to get all the sugar to dissolve off the delight.

Draco copied Harry and after a few sweets had been drowned and eaten, the two boys took a long sip of their drink and "mmmed" happily, licking their lips. "Much better," they agreed.

As they finished their tea, the door to the study finally opened and everyone stepped out.

"I have decided," Lucius stated, "that you may go over to the Burrow, Draco."

"Really? Thanks, Dad!" Draco jumped off the couch and ran over to Lucius, hugging the man happily around the waist.

"Don't forget my hug, Draco-bear!" Narcissa insisted, holding out her arms.

"Mum," Draco groaned, fighting the blush spreading on his cheeks. He hugged his mother, who squeezed him tightly.

"Give Mummy a kiss," Narcissa said, keeping her head lowered enough for Draco to kiss her cheek.

"Mum, not in front of everyone," Draco growled, trying to pull away.

"Draco," Lucius's stern voice said, "kiss your mother goodbye."

Draco sighed and gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. The whole interaction made Harry wonder what it would be like to have a mother that demanded kisses and mollycoddled him all the time. He was sure if he did have a mother, his reaction would be similar to Draco's. But since he didn't, he craved to find himself in a similar situation. Too bad his eligible bachelor father wasn't interested in women right now. Harry pushed the feeling down and smiled as Draco followed him and Percy to the fireplace. It was time to let the pranks begin.

Harry and Draco each went first through the floo, arriving back at the Burrow. They were immediately greeted by the sight of Fred and George waiting patiently in front of the fireplace, standing at the sides. Harry quickly got out of their way, watching where he stepped on the ground. He joined Ron at the breakfast table, where Draco also sat down and grabbed an apple. They all watched the twins expectantly.

"I thought you were going to do this when Percy walks up the stairs?" Ron asked.

"We weren't expecting him to leave at all today. So this really brings out an element of surprise," Fred said.

Harry shook his head at the duo.

Percy came through the floo and just as quickly, Fred flicked his wand and Percy found himself flipped upside down in the air, his shoes stuck to the ceiling, his robe falling over his head. His shirt was tucked in, so it remained. Percy yelled indignantly as he tried to push his robe down to see the twins.

"You guys put me down this instant! Where's Mum?"

"She already left," Fred smirked.

"Which leaves you at our mercy!" George added.

"We haven't pulled a prank on anyone in so long, it's been devastating!"

"You pulled one on me a week ago!" Percy argued. "You added some dye to my toothpaste and all my teeth were green!"

"Oh yeah," Fred nodded. "I forgot about that one."

"Get me down!"

"Not until you promise us free range of the house to prank each other and the kiddies here," George motioned to the three boys at the table.

"As long as you leave me out of it!"

"If you insist," Fred smiled. He flicked his wand and Percy fell to the ground, though landed gently on his feet. He brushed himself off, adjusting his robe. He glared at Fred and George, shaking his head at them as he said, "I'll be in my room anyway. Just don't kill each other or Mum will have my head."

"Yes, big brother," choired the twins.

Percy grumbled under his breath as he went up the stairs to his room. The twins looked at the three boys with evil smiles.

"Percy just left these three little kiddikins to fend for themselves," Fred said. "Not a wise move."

"You try anything on me, and my Dad will hear of it," Draco threatened.

"You gonna run to your Daddy, Drakey?" George asked.

"No. I can take you guys on. Besides, it's three against two."

"Seems like we're outnumbered, Fred."

"Aren't we always?"

The twins laughed, which made the three boys a bit uneasy now, but Harry had filled in Draco on the plan he and Ron had while the twins were messing with Percy. They could easily match wits with Fred and George.

"Did Sam leave already?" Fred suddenly asked.

"Yeah," Harry answered. "Dad wanted him for something today, so he left early."

"He forgot to take his medicine," George whined, holding up the small vial.

Harry smirked at it, knowing exactly what it was. This was payback for ditching out on the punishment the four of them had to share for stealing the fireworks. It was the perfect payback. Too bad Sam wasn't around. But that still didn't mean he couldn't get payback still. Perhaps his father could use some amusement today.

"I have an idea," Harry smiled. "Where is a quill and some loose parchment?"

"Coming up," George announced, producing the necessary items. Everyone looked over Harry's shoulder as he wrote out a quick note on the paper.

"We'll need to make that more official," George said. "I think I have a potions assignment marked up with your dad's signature and all." George vanished from the dining area for a minute before returning with an old essay. He waved his wand over the paper and then flicked it at the note Harry wrote.

Harry smiled as his handwriting instantly morphed into Severus's recognizable calligraphy. George quickly wrote another note, sticking it to the back of the first and using a spell to make it look like one note. Fred whistled for Errol, but Harry stopped him from asking the owl to deliver the vial.

"I have a better idea. I'll deliver it. I'll be quick."

Harry grabbed floo powder and flooed back to Snape Manor. He tiptoed to Sam's dog bed and set the vial down. Knowing Sam, he would sometimes perform morning exercises in human form. But if he was in fox form, he could use mind magic to open the vial and drink it. Harry listened around, but not hearing anything, he was sure Sam was outside doing his exercises and Severus was downstairs in his lab. Harry quickly grabbed more floo powder and left back to the Weasleys.

* * *

Sam panted as he ran up the stairs and walked on the porch and back into the house. He had just completed a mile run through the forest. He could use a drink. He always forgot to grab a bottled water, used to just drinking from the river or a puddle. He forgot how odd that might look in human form. He had encountered one passerby near the river and decided to continue on without stopping for a drink.

He entered the kitchen and turned the sink faucet on, sticking his head under and slurping the water. It was so refreshing. He licked his lips, turning the faucet off and walking towards the dog bed, picking up a towel laying near it. He dabbed at his forehead before he noticed a small vial.

It was a very small vial, black in color. He picked it up. It was large enough to hold a shot-sized amount of a potion. He sniffed at it before reading the small taped on parchment.

This is an energy enhancing potion. It is a new formula I am working on and figured you wouldn't mind testing it for me. It'll give you an extra energy boost. No worries – it's not poison. – Severus.

Sam frowned at the parchment. It seemed like a note Severus would write, reminding him that it wasn't poison, and he would never poison the kitsune. And it was his writing. And it seemed like something Severus would do – make him test a new potion. However, Severus usually liked to be present and actually give him the vials in person and watch him drink it – saying he was looking for any adverse reaction.

Sam lifted the note slightly, making sure there was no second note that would call him stupid for drinking an unknown substance and telling him he was the victim of some prank or assassination attempt. There was no other note.

Still sweating slightly, Sam dabbed at his head again. Well, it seemed legit. Severus must be rather confident with this potion. And the man was right downstairs should something go wrong. Though Sam never had problems before. Besides, he could use a boost in energy before he joined Severus on their trip to Hogwarts to double check the safety wards and anti-apparition wards around the school.

Sam uncorked the vial and drank the entire potion, making a face at its terrible taste. He was about to toss the vial aside when the note seemed to rip itself off the vial, revealing a second note.

Haha! You fell for it! You actually drank it! This is payback for you know what. Have fun! – Harry and the Weasleys.

Chikusho!

Sam dropped the vial and started hacking, trying to regurgitate whatever it was he just drank. It wasn't working. He would have better luck if he was in fox form. But he'd never strip and shift in time and he could feel the potion's magic begin its work.

"Oh no," Sam muttered.

* * *

"Do you think everything's all set?" Harry asked, looking around Ron's room.

"I think so. It's just the bucket and this bag really," Ron added. "I'll do the spell on the buckets. And Draco, you got the spell on the bag. Are you sure you can actually pull it off? Wandless magic is pretty tricky. You could borrow my wand."

"Yes, Ron, I'm pretty sure I can pull it off," Draco rolled his eyes. "I've done it before."

Draco looked at the other two as they stared at him with wide eyes. "What?" he snapped.

"It's a miracle," Harry said. "You actually called him Ron."

Draco blinked, frowned in thought, and then glared. "Yeah, so? That is his name. I can keep calling you Weasley if you'd like."

"I'd prefer Ron," Ron said. "Then I know which Weasley you're talking about."

"See? It's fine. No big deal. It's not like I accidentally called him Ron or . . . anything."

"Right," Harry smirked at Draco's pout and fake confidence. "Now we have to get you calling Granger Hermione."

"Not happening," Draco said. "Can we just do this? I'd like to catch the twins off guard for once."

"I think we caught them off guard when we insisted on "doing our homework" over playing pranks with them," Ron said.

"Well, now we catch them again."

Ron pointed his wand at the bucket on the floor and the bucket rose up with a simple levitation charm. Draco stood behind the large bag with is hands ready. It did make Harry think for a minute – Draco wasn't allowed his wand in the summer since he couldn't do magic. He had to leave his wand home. And Harry had to leave his home – not that he could use it anyway. His Dad was strict with the no magic outside of school rule. The Weasleys seemed to break that rule all the time, but Harry also knew Arthur could be pretty lenient while Molly would be the enforcer. Harry ran out of Ron's room and leaned over the stair railing.

"Fred! George!" he called. "We need some help on our Charms homework. We can't agree on anything!"

"Coming! But if we help you, you have to take a break and play some Quidditch with us."

"Okay."

Fred and George walked up the stairs, racing each other to Ron's room. They stepped inside, and Ron let the bucket spill over. The twins gasped as sticky syrup fell all over them. Draco closed his eyes, putting a lot of focus on what he was doing as he thrusted his hands forward and shouted, "Ventus!"

A huge gust of wind blew at the bag, sending the thousands of white feathers flying at the twins, covering them completely. The twins just blinked with mouths open as the three younger boys laughed.

"We got them!" Harry shouted as he high-fived Draco and Ron.

The twins seemed to shake themselves out of their stupor. They laughed as well, crossing their arms.

"Well, well," Fred shook his head. "We've been outplayed, brother."

"Indeed. And this is such a good prank! Why haven't we done something like this?"

"Draco, where did you learn that spell? That jinx isn't taught until third year!"

"My father taught me that," Draco smiled proudly. "During my weekly lessons with him over the summer."

"Wow!" George exclaimed. "You're lucky to get lessons. Wish we got something like that."

"This means war, little kiddies!" Fred cried. "War!"

"If I were you, I'd be afraid," George added. "Very afraid."

Fred and George started clucking like chickens as they left the room, no doubt to clean up in their own.

The three boys laughed, and Draco borrowed Ron's wand to clean the mess of syrup on the floor and feathers everywhere since he knew the spell needed better.

"That was great!" Ron said. "We really got them by surprise."

"I wonder how Sam is doing," Harry thought aloud.

"Knowing your fox," Draco said, tapping his chin, "he's either taking his payback in stride, or he's moping around somewhere."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's taking advantage of what we did to him," Ron frowned.

"What's there to take advantage of?" Harry asked, trying to think of benefits of Sam's situation.

"Do you think our prank backfired on Sam?" Draco questioned.

"No way!" Harry insisted. "Well, I hope not. It's the only thing I could think of that might work as good payback."

Once Ron's room was cleaned again, the three left the room to find some lunch. Percy had promised to make something for them all, but he had yet to leave his room. Perhaps he had forgotten about them. Oh well, sandwiches sounded good. However, as they entered the kitchen, a thick rope fell from the ceiling and wrapped tightly around the three boys.

"Ahh!" they yelled.

"Try and break free from that, kiddies!" George shouted from the stairway.

"Let's see how well you guys can work together," Fred added. The twins disappeared back into their room.

Harry pushed against the rope, trying to slip is arms out from under it. However, as he loosened it by a centimeter, the rope magically tightened around them, squeezing firmly but not constrictingly. Harry, Ron, and Draco both tried to run forward in the ways they were facing to force the rope to break apart, but it held tightly. They were stuck together.

"Well," Harry said, "they definitely got us back good."

The three remained stuck that way standing in the kitchen, trying different ways to escape the rope until Percy did appear. He shook his head at the sight of the boys before freeing them with a flick of his own wand. He made everyone a quick lunch of mac and cheese, and while he did that, the boys took the time to set up their next prank.

When everyone gathered around the table and sat down for mac and cheese, Percy taking a bowl up to his room, the twins smirked at the three boys.

"I see you've freed yourselves," Fred said.

"Percy had to free us," Ron admitted.

"He's such a pushover."

"Well, if he hadn't come down, we'd still be stuck like that."

"We would have freed you . . ."

"Eventually," George concluded.

"Right," Ron frowned. He, Harry and Draco finished their mac and cheese and gulped down some milk before standing and running outside to grab brooms and fly.

"Hey, wait for us!" George shouted, standing up – with his chair still attached to his rear.

Fred stood as well to find himself stuck to his chair. He shook his head and looked at George, saying, "I believe they used our own quick-dry glue. Smart cookies, they are."

"Good thing I always carry the antidote," George smiled, pulling a tiny spray bottle like container out of his inner robe pocket. "We'll be free and ready to get them back in seconds."

Fred beamed from ear to ear.

And so, the jokes went on, back and forth – from wild broom hexes to sticky webs in doorways to nose-biting teacups and even jinxes that made you talk backwards. The latter had been placed on all three boys by the twins, and since none of them could figure out what the other was saying, they were stuck like that for a while. Until Percy discovered their situation and ended the jinx on them. Percy had been glad to have been kept out of all the pranks, until he returned to his bedroom to find it full of confused garden gnomes.

"Fred! George!" Percy yelled as the gnomes ran out of his room, pushing past him and down the stairs, running out the back door. Some gnomes even jumped out of Percy's window to reach the garden, screaming as they fell from the height.

Harry, Ron, and Draco laughed at that one. However, they all had to call their little prank war off when Molly returned home with Ginny. Then, they actually did work on finishing up homework, Draco simply adding in his own thoughts since he had left everything home.

Dinner was served and afterwards, Draco prepared to return home.

"Thank you for allowing me to come over, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Draco said, shaking their hands.

"Of course, dearie," Molly smiled. "And please, call me Molly."

"And I'm Arthur. And you are welcome to visit whenever you like."

Draco smiled then looked at Harry and Ron.

"Where are the twins?" he asked.

Harry and Ron shrugged, Ron saying, "who knows?"

"Well, I had a lot of fun today. I'll see you guys at Hogwarts."

"Bye Draco."

Draco turned towards the fireplace and grabbed floo powder. However, before he could throw the powder in, two eggs fell right on his head, cracking and splattering all over him. He made a face and looked over his shoulder to see Fred twirling his wand and George with a carton of eggs.

"You wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to us, would you?" George smirked.

"Boys!" Molly angrily shrieked before flicking her own wand at Draco to clean him. "I'm sorry, Draco. There you are, good as new."

Draco sent a glare the twins way before throwing in the powder and calling out his destination.

* * *

The next morning, while eating breakfast, Molly announced that Severus had floo called and wanted to speak to Harry. Harry gladly jumped to his feet and ran to sit in front of the fireplace.

"Hi, Dad!" Harry happily greeted.

"Hi," Severus seemed to put on a fake smile for a moment before glaring at his son.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, nothing at all. I just want to say that if you ever deage Sam again, you'll go over my knees for a very long spanking."

"What? Why?" Harry asked, frowning in confusion. Ron and the twins walked out and stood behind Harry to listen. "What happened? It was supposed to be payback."

"Well, your little payback backfired! He's done nothing but torment me! Even as a small kit with absolutely no fox magic whatsoever, he has caused more trouble for me in one day than you ever have your entire life! And you know what, he got away with everything! He pulled the "I'm such a cute and innocent child" card more times than I can count."

"That fox is good," George whispered to Fred, elbowing him in the side.

"I worship him," Fred said, bowing mockingly.

Severus rolled his eyes, an odd movement in the flames.

"If this ever happens again, you will be paying for it, young man!"

"Why do I have to pay for it?"

"Because I know this was your idea. And the potion – though ingenious – if I ever see it in this house again, I'm coming over there and spanking you two, Mr. and Mr. Weasley! I'm sure your parents won't mind."

"Us?" Fred and George queried innocently. "We'd never do something like that."

"Uh-huh," Severus glared. "That is my only warning. This does not ever happen again."

"Yes, sir," everyone said.

Severus withdrew from the flames, disappearing.

"I don't believe it!" Fred shook his head at George. "He actually used our prank to his advantage! He must have had so much fun."

"Wish we had made more of that potion. But those ingredients were expensive!"

"Well, it's not like we could use it. It might age us back to babies. Sam was the perfect target!"

"Too bad Professor Snape didn't enjoy the experience. I would have loved to have seen the mischief Sam caused."

"Me, too," Harry jumped in, nodding his head. Honestly, what could the fox have done that made his father never want to see that potion or the prank performed again?

Harry felt something sharp sink down into his ankle. He yelped and jumped away, looking down to see Sam in fox form.

"Ow!" Harry said, rubbing his ankle where the fox had nipped him.

 _: That's for turning me into a kit,_ he growled. _Who's next?_

"We're good," the twins said, while Ron quickly backed away.

"What did you do to Dad?" Harry asked.

 _: Oh, nothing he couldn't handle,_ Sam gave a sly smile. _Though I highly recommend against doing it again. Even if it was rather entertaining._

"Wish I was there to see it," Harry muttered, looking down at his ankle to make sure there was no blood. It seemed he always missed the fun stuff when he was away from home. He had to find a way to get the twins to pull that prank again but keep everyone's rears away from the firing line. Harry threw floo powder into the fireplace and floo called Draco.

"Morning, Harry," Draco greeted with a yawn.

"Morning, Draco. Remember we tried to prank Sam by deaging? Mission: failed."

* * *

The prank idea for Sam was inspired by chronos-girl's review to Chapter 11. To find out exactly what happened with Severus and Sam, see the short story, Second Chances Reality: Little Sam. I couldn't really fit that chapter into this story without veering a little too far away from the plot, so I made it a short. I hope you enjoy!

And thanks for reading, as always!


	13. Poor Choices

So, I have an enrichment project that may start to take up a lot of my free writing time. I will continue to update when I can, but they may seem spread farther out during this last semester. Just a forewarning. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! It gets hard with so many stories knowing which reviews I've already responded to. If I hadn't responded to yours, don't take it personally. Enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

It was their last evening and Molly had conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry's favorites, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. She had insisted that she was not spoiling Harry on his last night, though Ron seemed to think otherwise. Arthur had supplied the twins with Filibuster fireworks, and they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars. And after a mug of hot chocolate, everyone retired for the night. It was then that Sam flew back to Snape Manor, enjoying the rather chilly night air. Using mind magic to unlock and open a window, Sam landed in the living room, closing the window behind him.

Shaking out his fur to warm up a bit, Sam trotted out of the living room, sniffing around for Severus. He paused at the man's study and pushed the ajar door open, so he could slip through. He jumped up on the man's clear desk, watching as Severus packed papers and books into a travel bag.

 _: Prepared for the new year?_ Sam asked, tilting his head.

"As prepared as always," Severus replied, picking up an ink set and placed it in a side pocket of the bag. "I still do not understand that deranged house elf's visit, but after our trips to Hogwarts, I do not think there is any need for concern. That being said, I would still like you around Harry as often as possible."

 _: You know_ , Sam scratched at an ear absentmindedly, _he's starting to see me as an annoying babysitter when I walk him from class to class. He'd rather I just be a friend that follows him into trouble._

"I'm sure, and that's where I need you to act more like the adult you are and continue to "babysit" him whenever you can."

 _: I've never allowed him to get in any trouble that endangered his life. I'm doing my best to play both roles as protector and friend. Despite Harry's wishes to just be a friend._

"And I appreciate everything you've done thus far. Harry needs someone to look up to at Hogwarts besides his father and older peers. He confides in you when he doesn't wish to confide in me. Which is better than him taking advice from peer pressure, I guess."

 _: Or following his own silly ideas?_ Sam gave a wide foxy smile. _I kind of like the boy's creativity sometimes. Especially when all four troublemakers combine ideas. Together, they are brave, reason, resourceful, and a whole lot of heart._

Severus offered a smile in return to the fox before continuing searching his books for specific titles.

"That they are, Sam," he agreed, "and together, they are also reckless, arrogant, immature, and naive. They all have a lot of growing up to do. And someone needs to be there every step of the way."

* * *

"We are late!" Molly yelled for the hundredth time.

In moments like these, Harry realized just what being a part of a large family entailed. It was hectic in the burrow, and even after awaking at dawn, there still seemed to be so much to do. Everyone kept colliding on the stairs, tripping over each other and stray chickens in the yard as they carried trunks to the car. After piling into the enchanted car, piling back out because someone had forgotten something, piling back in for third time, they finally reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. But time was wasted more as everyone packed their belongings onto trolleys and rushed into the station.

"Quickly, everyone!" Molly encouraged, nervously glancing at the clock that showed they had five minutes remaining till the Hogwarts Express left.

Percy and Mr. Weasley went first through the barrier.

"Race you, Sam," Fred challenged the fox that sat at Harry's heel.

"Last one through has to load our stuff on the train!" George shouted.

Sam misted on the spot and flew at the barrier, Fred and George running at it as well, all three vanishing. From Harry's perspective, Sam had disappeared a lot sooner than the twins, but the fox would use his mind magic to help everyone load regardless.

"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Molly said, taking Ginny's hand and disappearing through the barrier.

"We better hurry," Ron said, looking at the clock.

"We'll go together."

Harry and Ron both charged the barrier – CRASH!

The trolleys hit the barrier and Harry was knocked off his feet. People around the stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"

"Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up. A sense of déjà vu washed over him briefly but faded just as quickly. He looked at Ron and hissed, "Why can't we get through?"

"I dunno," Ron answered. "We're being watched. We're going to miss the train. I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself."

Harry wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all his might. The metal remained solid. "C'mon," Harry growled, pushing even harder desperately.

"Forget it," Ron said. "The train's gone. What if Mom and Dad can't get back through to us? What if Sam can't get through? Have you got any muggle money?"

"No."

"What do we do now?"

The two marched off through the crowd of curious muggles, out of the station and back to where the old Ford Anglia was parked. They unpacked their belongings back into the trunk, closing it and then leaning against the car, debating their next move.

"We could take the car," Ron suddenly said. "At least until we catch up to the train."

Harry frowned, that sense of déjà vu hitting him again, but fading. It didn't seem like a bad idea. They couldn't not go to Hogwarts after all. And the car did turn invisible. What could go wrong with that? But what if Molly and Arthur did get through the barrier. How would they get home? Well, they could apparate – that was always an option. And they would understand their need to take the car, right?

"Okay," Harry agreed. "But we better hurry. I'll watch and make sure no one sees us until you can get the invisibility lever going."

They two got into the front seats, Ron behind the wheel and Harry in the passenger seat. Harry scanned their surroundings while Ron fidgeted with the ignition.

"You're good," Harry said after sticking his head out the window.

Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them and themselves vanished, though Harry could still feel the seat beneath him and himself. It was an odd feeling even when they had yet to leave the parked spot.

"Let's go," said Ron's voice from his right.

The car slowly lifted off the ground. Harry saw a flash of white before the car slammed back down to the ground. There was a popping noise and the car, Ron, and Harry reappeared. That flash of white solidified into fox-sized Sam, who stood on the hood of the car, snarling at them. A white, thin barrier wrapped itself around the hood of the car, circling around where Sam stood.

 _: What do you two think you are doing? Sam yapped angrily. Get out of this car! Now!_

"The train left without us," Harry explained. "We have to get to Hogwarts somehow."

 _: And this is your brilliant solution?_ Sam huffed, his ears falling back. _I don't think so. Get out!_

"No," Harry glared defiantly. "C'mon, Ron. Push against it. The car should be strong enough to break free."

Ron nodded and pushed the invisibility button again. They turned invisible once more and Ron began to lift the car up again. The car rose an inch before it hit the white barrier, the engine roaring as it tried to back away, move side to side, and continue lifting up to break free of the strange structure holding the hood down. Harry glared at Sam who demanded that they land and get out of the car.

Then, there was a pop and they all reappeared again. Ron allowed the car to land again for fear of being seen.

"The Invisibility Booster!" Ron exclaimed, "it's faulty!"

 _: And a good reason to abandon this insane idea. Get out of the car! You do not want Mr. and Mrs. Weasley catching you in it._

Harry frowned as he tilted his head at the barrier. It flickered under his stare before vanishing completely. His eyes widened in realization.

"Ron – it's an illusion! I broke it – we can go now!"

"What do you mean," – Ron peered through the windshield – "it's an illusion?"

"Sam uses magic to play tricks on the mind. It's complicated, but it's broken now, so let's go. We're going to be late to Hogwarts now."

Ron frowned but hit the silver button once more to turn invisible. The car rose once more before crashing – in Harry's perspective – against nothing. Harry frowned as Ron lowered the car and everything turned visible again. Ron seemed confused.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked his friend, looking just as confused.

 _: In order to break my illusion,_ Sam's voice intruded Harry's mind, _you must both see past it._ Sam looked pointedly at Ron, his tails giving confident flicks.

Harry understood and looked at Ron. He was used to the fox's illusion tricks after living with Sam for so long, as was Severus. It took more convincing on Harry's behalf to not see through the illusion when he needed Sam's help. Sam had explained that the mind grows immune to kitsune illusions when there is constant exposure. But Ron wasn't around Sam as often as he was, and Sam didn't usually use illusions often around his friends. One could still break the illusion, though, if they could convince themselves that it wasn't real.

"It's fake, Ron," Harry said, motioning to the hood of the car. "It's not really there – you just think it is."

"I don't get how that works," Ron said, frowning. "If it's not really there, then how is it holding the car down?"

"Because you think it's holding the car down."

"That makes no sense! If something isn't really there, even in normal magic, then you can always get through it."

"Yes, well, this is more complicated. You can do it – just tell yourself it isn't real."

"It's not real," Ron said with mock confidence. But Harry was sure it wasn't working.

"What is going on here!?" Molly's voice shrieked.

Harry and Ron swung their heads to the left to see Molly and Arthur approaching the car – their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

 _: It appears these two wanted to fly to Hogwarts in an aerial spectacle,_ Sam snarled, glaring at the boys still in the car. He removed his illusion and jumped off the hood as Arthur and Molly walked up to the car. Ron and Harry also stepped out of the car, Ron coming around to stand next to Harry.

"I thought you two were on the train without so much as a goodbye," Molly said, putting her hands on her hips. Arthur crossed his arms and glared down at the two as Molly demanded, "Just what exactly were you two doing? Were you really going to fly this car to Hogwarts?"

"Well, you see," Ron began, "the barrier sealed us out! We couldn't get in and then the train was already gone. And since the barrier wouldn't let us through, we thought maybe you guys were stuck on the other side. We just thought . . ."

"You didn't do an ounce of thinking, young man!" Arthur scolded. "You were just going to strand your mother and I here?"

"Well . . . I . . . I didn't . . ."

Patience running thin, Arthur grabbed Ron's arm and turned him, landing three hard smacks on his son's bottom. Ron bit back a groan and his eyes closed tightly, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Harry winced in sympathy, but also backed up against the car more, hoping he wouldn't meet the same fate. Arthur released Ron and turned his eyes on Harry, who gave him a guilty look.

"I'll let your father deal with you," Arthur decided after a moment. "I am so disappointed in you both!"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Ron whispered.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too," Harry added.

Harry wished Arthur had dealt with him now – he didn't really want his father hearing of his poor decision making. He was sure he'd get a swat or two himself from his old man. Ron was trying hard not to rub his bottom as he gave Harry a sidelong glance.

"Get in the car," Arthur said. He waved his wand, conjuring up his patronus – a weasel – to which he explained the situation, including the excuse of the barrier not working. Harry was sure he was sending it to Severus and possibly the Headmaster. The weasel dashed away as Arthur climbed in the front seat and started the car. Sam jumped in the car as well, though he sat up front with Molly, who lit right into the boys as she sat in the front passenger seat.

"Trying to steal the car – what if you had succeeded!? Do you have any idea how dangerous what you were about to do was? You could have been severely hurt! And if you did arrive to school in such fashion – well, I wouldn't have been surprise if they expelled you! I mean – what if you had been seen by muggles? Do you have any idea what that would have cost on your father, Ronald Bilius Weasley? He could have lost his job! And I'm sure your father wouldn't have approved, Harry Severus Snape!"

Harry shrunk down in his seat as Molly's scolding directed to him. He hadn't even thought about his father when he and Ron planned to fly the car. Severus would definitely not approve. The two boys endured Molly's scolding all the way back to the Burrow. Arthur directed them both to Ron's room while he made a floo call to the headmaster.

"Man, I'm sorry for getting us in trouble, mate," Ron apologized as he gingerly sat on his bed, before deciding to roll over on his stomach.

"It's okay," Harry said, sitting on Ron's bed as well since the spare bed had been returned to another bedroom. "We both agreed on it, so we are both at fault."

 _: That is a correct statement,_ Sam said, sitting in the doorway. _I am leaving to Hogwarts now to discuss matters with your father, including your claim of the barrier sealing you off. I will investigate that. Try to stay out of trouble while I am away._

"Yes, Sam," Harry said. "Are you mad at me?"

 _: No. I'm simply disappointed in the choice you made. You could have done better._

Harry's face fell at that.

The fox turned and misted away. Arthur appeared in the doorway.

"I've spoken to the headmaster. The floo system to the school has a timer in which it is connected to the universal floo network. It's only about an hour since it's to reduce students using the floo whenever they like. The hour is during the opening feast, but you should arrive in time for dinner."

"And the sorting ceremony?" Ron asked.

"I don't think you'll arrive early enough for that. Be glad the headmaster has no plans to expel you. Your head of house has decided to allow Professor Snape to handle punishment on both of your behalves. Meanwhile, stay in here. Mum will bring you lunch later."

It was a boring morning for the two as they decided to just look over Ron's collection of chocolate frog cards. They played a couple games of Wizard chess to pass some time. Lunch was delivered to them – just sandwiches and glasses of milk. Molly had reminded them of how disappointed she was in their actions, but also that they were forgiven. Ron and Harry both sighed in relief at that.

As they finished lunch, a doe patronus stepped into Ron's room. Harry immediately recognized it as his father's, informing Ron of that, who paled as he stared at the doe.

The doe opened its mouth and Severus's voice filled the room.

"You will report directly to the feast. You will most likely miss the sorting ceremony but should at least arrive when the meal does. You will also serve a detention with me at a later date for your poor judgement. I will owl you the details of your detention tomorrow. Harry?"

The doe looked directly at Harry.

"You will come to our quarters after dinner. Do not dally."

Harry nodded, even though his father couldn't see him. He sighed, very sure that he would hear more about his poor decision making from his father after dinner.

The doe gave a nod of its head before turning and leaping gracefully out of the room, disappearing in the air.

* * *

Later that night, Ron and Harry flooed to Hogwarts through the Headmaster's connection (glad that Professor Dumbledore wasn't in his office) and left their luggage to be taken care of by a house elf. They ran as fast as they could to the Great Hall where the food just arrived as they entered.

"There you two are!" Hermione exclaimed as the boys sat across from her. "Where have you been? You missed the entire Sorting ceremony!"

"We know," Ron grumbled, though he smiled when he saw Ginny sitting at their table with some other first years.

"It's a long story, Hermione," Harry said, hoping she would drop it at that.

: _Attempting to fly a car to school wouldn't exactly qualify as a long story,_ came Sam's mischievous voice. _I believe I summed it up in one sentence._

"Sam!" Harry growled as the fox jumped up to sit next to him. Sam licked his lips eagerly at the sight of prime rib.

"You flew a car to school?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"No-no," Harry felt his cheeks blushing.

"We were going to," Ron supplied. "But Sam stopped us and my parents caught us. We got here through Dumbledore's floo."

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione corrected.

"Right."

"You two could have killed yourselves trying to do something as stupid as that! What is wrong with you? Don't you know how to use your brains?"

"We don't need the lecture, Hermione," Harry groaned as he placed prime rib, mashed potatoes with flavorful beef gravy, and roasted vegetables on a plate and shoved it in front of a demanding Sam. The fox dug in happily.

"Yes, please, skip the lecture," Ron agreed.

Hermione rolled her eyes with an annoyed huff before stating, "Well, we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts professor. See up there? Professor Lockhart."

Ron sneered at the smiling man at the staff table while Harry gave the man an odd look. The man looked like a fake.

"Hope he's better than Quirrell was," Ron muttered, and Harry could only grunt in agreement.

 _: Judgey, aren't we,_ Sam smirked at him.

"I'm not being . . . no, I was just agreeing with Ron."

 _: Right. See that Yorkshire pudding? Pass it this way._

"Aren't you full?" Harry asked, though reached for the food in question.

 _: Barely. You need to eat as well, you know._

Harry tried to eat, and he managed to force down a few bites of prime rib and some vegetables – he really focused on the vegetables in hopes of making it up to his father - but otherwise, food did not sit well in his stomach. After dinner, and receiving the Gryffindor Tower password, Harry made the dreadful walk to his and his father's quarters. He was not looking forward to this conversation. Sam trotted at his heels, still licking his lips from the peanut butter filled biscuits he had eaten for dessert. Sam had lapped up some milk, but it hardly seemed to help. Once inside their quarters, Sam plopped down on his dog bed to rest his full belly while Harry slowly searched for his father.

He found Severus in the lab, already taking stock of what he had in his storage supply closet.

"Hi, Dad," Harry greeted hesitantly, sitting on a tall stool by a table.

"Evening," Severus returned without turning around as he wrote on a parchment. "Did you eat?"

"Yeah. Well, not much, but I ate as many vegetables as I could."

"I hope you do not think that informing me of that changes how much trouble you are in."

"No," Harry's face fell as that had been exactly what he had been hoping for.

There was silence for a few moments as Severus continued to take inventory. Harry hated that tense quiet and tried a soft, "I'm sorry."

"Honestly, Harry," Severus turned around sharply, tossing the parchment on the table behind Harry. Harry shrunk back at his father's stern look. "I can't believe that you would think for a moment that flying a car to school was a brilliant idea. What in Merlin's name was running through your head in that moment?"

"Getting myself and Ron to Hogwarts," Harry answered, a bit snidely. He hadn't meant for the attitude, but he was rather tired of the lectures.

"You know what," Severus glared now, pointing a stern finger at Harry, "do not answer my questions from this point forward. Just listen to me. You may not have actually flown the car to school – but if you had, the consequences would have been more devastating than you realize! What if you had been seen by muggles? What if you had been caught? From what Mr. Weasley told me, the charmed car isn't exactly legal. If you had been caught or even seen, the ministry would have fined Mr. Weasley – do you know how that would have affected a large family such as his? Do you know how much damage a hefty fine like that could have caused? And then just the prospect of flying a car – Merlin, Harry, what if you had gotten hurt? You and your friend? The car could crash, the engine could give out, you could have plummeted from the sky. You could have bloody died on such an insane trip! I would have been devastated if anything had happened to you."

Harry had felt his lip tremble half way through his father's scolding and now his eyes were watering as well. It really had been a stupid idea – he had not considered all the what-ifs that could have happened.

"You're lucky Sam stopped you both. If you had flown that car here, and miraculously escaped harm, you most likely would have been expelled – or at the very least, suspended. I wouldn't want that for you. And be thankful that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley found an appropriate way for you to arrive to school. Honestly, you couldn't have simply waited for them to return? Or called Sam telepathically? There are hundreds of scenarios you could have done differently. Why did the first one have to be driving a car to school?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Harry said, a tear trailing down his cheek.

Severus dragged a thumb over his son's cheek to wipe away the tear. Harry looked up at his father, glad to see the man didn't look so angry anymore.

"I know," Severus continued. "Since you didn't actually succeed in your little plan, I will allow detention to be your punishment for this. I will owl you and Mr. Weasley the details of your detention tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir."

"Can you name some different ways you could have handled this situation? Just so I know that your brain is still in fact working?"

"I guess I should have waited for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to come back to the car. Or even Sam. Now that I think about it, he always finds a way to get back to me – no matter what. He would have noticed that I wasn't on the train. I could have called to him for help as well. Or I could have tried the barrier again to see if it had opened back up and someone there could have helped me, maybe Mr. and Mrs. Weasley still would have been there, and I could have explained what happened."

"Precisely."

"I'm so stupid!" Harry scolded himself, covering his head with his hands.

"You are not," Severus smiled, pulling Harry's hands away and kissing his forehead, "your actions were not well thought out, your idea to fly a car was rather reckless. But you are not stupid. Don't ever call yourself that, or I'll have you writing lines until your hand falls off."

"Yes, sir. I really am sorry."

"I know. Consider yourself very lucky. And as far as the barrier shutting you ad Mr. Weasley out, Sam and I checked it out earlier this afternoon. I detected traces of elvish magic and Sam picked up the scent of that Dobby elf. He seems pretty insistent that you do not return. Why that is – I'm baffled. But the Headmaster said he will inform Dobby that he is to leave you alone from now on. If he interferes again, in any way with your safety and wellbeing, he will be fired. Hopefully, that keeps him off our backs, hmm?"

"Thanks," Harry smiled at his father. That was one relief.

"Are you planning on going back to your dorm or would you like to stay here for the night."

"I wouldn't mind staying here," Harry said. He wanted to share his week with his father, and now was a perfect opportunity."

"Why don't you get ready for bed and then meet me in the living room?"

Harry hopped off the stool, but as soon as his feet touched the floor, a hard smack landed on his bottom. He yelped and angled his bottom away from his father, frowning at him.

"I thought you said detention was my only punishment?"

"For flying the car, yes," Severus crossed his arms. "That was for making such a rash decision."

Harry pouted and mumbled, "I think I might change my mind about staying."

Severus snorted before giving Harry a gentle nudge out of the lab.

"Go get ready for bed, you little brat."

Harry glared up at his father before retreating to his room to change for bed. He spent the rest of the evening sharing every detail of how his week at the Weasleys went, including the little prank war. Severus brought up little Sam once more, glaring at the fox peacefully sleeping in the dog bed. Harry laughed at his father's story, which Sam intervened in several times. After a cup of hot chocolate, Harry fell asleep against his father, who carried him to bed.

The next morning, while eating breakfast with his friends in the Great Hall, Phantom, Severus's great grey owl, flew over to Harry with two rolled up parchments in his beak. Harry accepted them and handed one to Ron. They parchments said the same thing:

Your detention is tonight at six. You will meet me in the Potions classroom and be prepared to scrub, dry, and polish cauldrons for two hours. Do not be late. – Professor S.S.

Harry and Ron both groaned while Hermione simply told them that it was their own fault. They were not looking forward to this detention. Harry glanced up at the staff table to see his father reward Phantom with a piece of bacon. Their eyes met, and Severus rose a challenging eyebrow at Harry's glare. Harry lowered his gaze, his glare softening under his father's piercing stare.

It was his own fault after all. But that didn't mean he wanted to spend his night cleaning.

And his father seemed all too happy about his and Ron's punishment. Evil father.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	14. Temper Tantrum

I was so happy to update this story, I just shot out ideas and threw it all together! Here's a nice long chapter for all you wonderful readers and reviewers!

* * *

"You missed a spot," Severus said as he paused near the sink where Harry and Ron were busy scrubbing away at cauldrons. "Try soaking it again and starting over."

Harry sighed irritably as he scrubbed harder at the cauldron, that one stain refusing to fade even the slightest. After a long day of potions, charms, and History of Magic lectures (which hadn't really been that bad), Harry was a bit tired from the running up and down that stairs to not be late for his classes. It didn't help that he had barely slept last night (due to reading his _Ivanhoe_ book from Uncle Remus late into the night). And then running into the new idiot DADA professor after lunch – who complimented him on having Sam as a protector – saying he knew all about kitsune from his time in Japan. Of course, Sam had been sitting patiently at Harry's side while Lockhart talked away about how he had run into a pack of kitsune and had to defend himself against the many vicious beasts. He had said he meant no offense to Sam, who said "none taken." But Harry could tell from Sam's low growling, bristling fur, and slowly baring teeth that the fox had been getting angry with Lockhart's "true" story, but the professor seemed completely oblivious to signs of aggression. Harry had quickly excused himself because he "was late for class" (semi-true), before taking off, Sam following. Harry was sure Sam would have torn into the man if they'd stayed a minute longer.

And now, he found himself scrubbing cauldrons. His father had said he would be scrubbing, drying, and polishing the cauldrons, but so far, he had only gotten through scrubbing four of his ten cauldrons. He still needed to dry (though at this rate, the three sitting aside were most likely dry) and polish. And now he had to redo his cauldron over because of a stupid stain! But it wasn't the stain that annoyed Harry – but his father's constant interference with his punishment. This would be the fourth time his father suggested making him rescrub a cauldron – the fourth! Actually, it wasn't really a suggestion.

"Scrubbing harder at it won't help. It needs to soak in a dissolvent."

"I don't want to start over again," Harry grumbled, slamming the cauldron back into the half-filled sink of water and bubbles. "It's fine, a stain won't kill it or screw up any potions you need to brew in it."

Severus narrowed his eyes, but Harry wasn't fazed. He was too tired from his late night, long classes, and now this stupid detention. Glancing over at Ron's station, Harry noticed that Ron had gotten through almost all of his cauldrons and was finishing drying them. This was ridiculous! Why was his father singling him out? This wasn't fair at all.

"You know," Severus said in a low tone, "if you allowed the cauldrons to soak for the appropriate length of time, you'd have been done with all of these cauldrons by now."

Harry felt his blood boil at that. Severus was blaming his lack of scrubbed cauldrons on him? It was the own man's fault he wasn't done with all these cauldrons!

"I would have been done with all of them if you didn't keep making me redo them!" Harry snapped back, throwing down the scrubber in the sink as well, causing it to splash a bit.

"Watch your attitude, Harry," Severus warned. "Do them right and you won't need to do them over. Five minutes in the dissolvent – that's as long as it takes for each cauldron. You've been pulling them out and scrubbing at them too early. If I wasn't mistaken, I'd say you've forgotten how to tell time. Or perhaps you can't see the clock from where you are. Do you need your eyes checked?"

Harry glared at Severus, clenching his wrinkled fists. Ron was trying hard not to watch the interaction, focusing on finishing his drying so he could start on the polisher and get out of the dungeons.

"I don't need anything – especially not from you! I just want to finish this pointless detention and leave!"

"Pointless, eh? I'd like you to tell me how pointless it would have been if you had flown that car to school, injured yourselves, and gotten into trouble with the Ministry. Would you find this detention pointless then?"

"We didn't fly the car, though! I don't see why you need to bother with punishment when we didn't do anything wrong! It's just like when stupid Dobby blew up your stupid lab!"

Severus looked taken aback by Harry's statement before glaring back at his son.

"You didn't do anything wrong? You got behind the wheel of a flying car and nearly drove it to school. From what Sam said, the car was off the ground. You did do something wrong, Harry Severus. You made a poor decision and followed through with it until someone else stopped you. Perhaps, if you had stopped yourselves, gotten out of the car, and waited for the Weasleys, then just maybe you wouldn't be here right now – but no! That is not the case. Sam had to stop you and keep you from leaving until Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared. Now tell me again about how you didn't do something wrong! Tell me how I am not justified in giving you boys this detention! Go on, tell me!"

Harry just glared at his father, refusing to admit anything.

"Then I suggest you get back to work, Mr. Snape."

"No." The word had left Harry's mouth faster than his mind worked. But there was no taking them back and Harry really didn't feel like rescrubbing the same cauldron once again.

"No?" Severus's glare deepened.

"No," Harry repeated.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Harry. Get back to work."

Harry didn't say anything or move. He was rooted to his spot, glaring at the sink just two steps in front of him, the stained cauldron drowned in the bubbly water.

"So be it," Severus growled. "Mr. Weasley, your detention is over. You may leave now."

Ron froze and stared bewildered at Severus. He looked down at the cauldron on the table and said, "But sir, I just started polishing my first –"

"You may leave now," Severus repeated.

"Yes, sir."

Ron quickly set everything down and rinsed his hands in the sink at his station before rushing out of the dungeons, sparing a nervous glance Harry's way. Then, it was just Harry and Severus.

"I would like an explanation of this behavior before you find yourself over my knees, young man," Severus demanded.

Harry's eyes flashed.

"See!? You're doing it again! You're going to punish me for no reason! I haven't done a thing wrong!"

"And that's where I disagree with you. Your defiance and attitude aren't exactly appreciated."

"Neither is your bloody detention!"

"I'm going to add language to that list. What has gotten into you? You've been acting moody since you got here."

"Nothing's wrong! If you had just let me do my work and left me alone –"

"You were not doing it correctly!"

"Who cares?"

"I care! Isn't that enough? I need those cauldrons in perfect condition for my N.E.W.T.S classes, and whether you believe it or not, a simple stain can cause dramatic reactions to certain substances."

"Like you?" Harry dared to say.

And that did it. The next second Harry found himself nearly bent into the sink, his hands bracing himself against the rim, the smell of soap and chemicals drowning his nose. He hissed as his father's hand smacked him hard.

"Ow, stop it!" Harry yelled, his face flaming as his father kept spanking him.

"I have had it with your attitude and your mouth! If you don't want to tell me what your problem is, then I'll spank you and be done with it, how does that sound?"

"Fine! Then I get to leave this detention!"

"Oh, no. You are staying and finishing these cauldrons – every step, scrubbing, drying, polishing – all of it will be done even if you have to spend the night here!"

"That's – ow! – not fair! You let Ron go!"

"Mr. Weasley wasn't giving me backtalk."

"Well, you didn't make him rescrub anything! This isn't fair! This isn't fair!" Harry's bottom was starting to burn, and he could feel his eyes tearing up. He sniffled, his nostrils burning slightly from breathing in the sink's chemicals.

"Well, guess what? Life isn't fair."

"Ow! Stop! I'm sorry! I'm just tired, okay?"

"That certainly doesn't excuse your attitude," Severus said, not letting up the slightest.

Harry clenched his teeth, tears trailing down his cheeks. He knew what his father wanted to hear. "I know it doesn't. And I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what? Having to attend this pointless detention?"

"It's not pointless. I shouldn't have gotten into the car! I shouldn't have tried to fly it to school. I should have done the cauldrons – ow! – the right way. I shouldn't have yelled at you or told you no or anything. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Harry was crying by the time he said he was sorry again. His bottom hurt something fierce and now his head hurt, too – probably from the lack of sleep and now his tears. His stomach hurt where it was pressing into the sink's rim.

Finally, Harry felt his father pull him up from the sink and into the man's arms. Harry didn't bother fighting to pull away. He didn't want to – he was just to tired to resist and put up much of a fight. He didn't wrap his own arms around Severus, but just allowed the man to hold him. He did feel a bit sorry for being so disrespectful to his father, but he was feeling a bit sorrier for himself. But he wouldn't deny the comfort of his father's strong arms, even if those same hands had smacked him. Maybe he really shouldn't stay up late reading. But the book was so intriguing.

"And I'm sorry I had to do that," Severus said softly. "But none of it was called for. I know you said that you were just tired, but that doesn't mean you can just start treating me with disrespect. I know lack of sleep makes us all a little moody, but you should have told me you didn't have a good night's sleep and that you weren't able to concentrate. I would have just rescheduled this detention."

"You probably wouldn't have believed me."

The words hurt Severus more than Harry would ever know. He heard his father sigh loudly before the man said, "I probably would have thought you were making an excuse at first, but a simple diagnostic spell would have told me exactly how much sleep you have had within these last twenty-four hours. It would have been proof enough."

Harry didn't doubt that. He looked up at his father before slowly bringing his own arms around Severus, resting his head on his father's chest. Now he really felt tired. He was sure he'd be sleeping on his stomach tonight though. Severus rubbed his back, and it felt so nice, Harry closed his eyes, wishing he could just fall asleep standing up.

"So, what kept you up?" Severus asked. Harry's eyes snapped open as he realized he'd have to tell his father. "Did you have a nightmare? Or could you just not fall asleep? Maybe you had to much sugar."

Or he could use one of those excuses . . . anything to keep his father from taking the book. It was far too interesting to lose.

"Yeah, maybe just too much sugar for dinner last night. I did eat two treacle tarts."

"I knew I should have grounded you from dessert last night!" Severus teased lightly.

Harry smiled, closing his eyes once more.

"How about this? You head on upstairs to bed and tomorrow morning, right before Herbology, you come back here and scrub six more cauldron, so you are even with Mr. Weasley. I won't make you rescrub the ones I give you tomorrow."

"But," Harry looked up at his dad, "I'd have to get up really early!"

"Be here by seven thirty, work diligently, and you could be done by eight – just in time for breakfast."

"I'll probably be starving all the way through," Harry grumbled, pulling away. He rubbed at his face, hoping it wasn't obvious that he had been crying.

"I'll bring you a banana," Severus said.

"How about a cinnamon roll?"

"Don't push your luck."

Harry sighed and shrugged. It had been worth a shot. "Okay. I'll be here."

"Good. Now, go back to your dorm and go straight to bed. Clearly, you need the sleep."

* * *

The next morning, after a good night's sleep (this time, Harry didn't continue reading his book into the wee hours of the morning due to being so tired), Harry met his father in the dungeons, enjoyed a banana with a glass of milk, then spent five minutes on each cauldron, finishing all six plain pewter cauldrons by exactly eight o'clock.

"It's a miracle what a little sleep can do, isn't it," Severus had smirked at him. Harry had just rolled his eyes, earning a light cuff on the back of his head. Harry whined at his father, telling him of how his bottom had still been hurting when he woke up – a complete fabrication.

After leaving the dungeons, he joined Hermione and Ron for breakfast and then went to his double Herbology class. Then he had transfiguration – which was just a long, boring (in his humble opinion) lecture. Then lunch flew by and . . .

"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ron announced.

Harry groaned loudly, glaring at the teachers' table where Lockhart was sitting and talking amiably to an annoyed looking Sinistra.

"Oh, come on, Harry," Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's an accomplished wizard – he knows what he's doing when it comes to defense against the dark arts."

"So, does my dad," Harry said. "He would have applied for the job again when it opened, but Professor Dumbledore said he had already filled the position."

"Who would teach Potions then?"

"I could do it!" Harry smiled confidently. "You and I could probably teach it well. And Draco! We'd be the best three professors here!"

"Yeah, right," Hermione said, though she smiled nonetheless.

"What about me?" Ron asked, miffed at not being included.

"You wouldn't teach potions, Ron," Hermione said, "maybe Flying or Quidditch or Wizard's Chess or –"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Ron interrupted. "I wouldn't want to be a teacher anyway. Sounds boring."

"I wouldn't mind it," Hermione said. "But I have bigger goals to accomplish first."

"I don't know if I could be a teacher," Harry frowned in thought, before saying, "Draco definitely couldn't, now that I think about it. He doesn't have the patience for stupid questions."

"What qualifies as a stupid question?" Ron asked, frowning.

"That one," Harry answered.

All three laughed.

An hour later, Harry found himself taking the worst quiz in the history of quizzes! What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color? How many times has Gilderoy Lockhart won the Witch Weekly's Most-Charming Smile Award? When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be? Harry hadn't read any of the books Lockhart required – he even tried to convince his father not to waste his money on those books. Severus had told him that they were required, and that Lockhart might have tests on them. It would be better to just roll with it – even if the man is . . . well, Lockhart. Even so, Harry still didn't read the books, but these questions . . .

Which house was Gilderoy Lockhart in? What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite holiday? What is Gilderoy Lockhart's preferred quill feather? These were so stupid! How was he supposed to answer these?

 _: Wait, keep reading them. I was enjoying the entertainment._

Harry looked down at fox-sized Sam, who was lying down under his table at his feet, his head rested on his paws and his eyes still closed. Harry glanced up at Lockhart, who was busy signing who knows what at his desk. Sam must have only spoken to him since no one else seemed aware the fox had spoken.

 _You wouldn't happen to know the answers to any of these, would you?_ Harry thought.

 _: How would I know any of these answers? I don't know this man at all and I can't even read. Even if I could read, I'd never read his books. If you were hoping to use me to cheat, don't bother._

 _I would never do such a thing – except for maybe this class. Obviously, we will be learning a lot about himself rather than something cool._

 _: And what would you define as cool?_

 _I don't know – how about a cool spell to defend ourselves with?_

 _: Your father says he hardly trusts that man with a wand. Something is fishy about him. He writes of all these great accomplishments and then screws up most spells he performs. Your father has a right to be suspicious. I should be wary as well. I'll make sure he does nothing foolish to harm you._

 _Gee, thanks._

"Time's up!" Lockhart said, standing up with a big smile on his face. Harry had hardly answered any of the questions, but he gladly gave away his paper to the man collecting them. When the man had all the papers, he rifled through them in front of the class. He shook his head disappointedly, remarking how no one knew what his favorite color was or this and that. He set the papers aside to grade later and smiled at the class – surely his award-winning smile.

"I have so many wonderful things to teach you today!" the man said. "First, I'd like a volunteer . . ."

Uh oh, Harry thought, a brief memory of acting out Lockhart's stupid books coming to mind and vanishing just as quickly. He sunk slowly in his seat, wishing he could turn invisible.

"Sam, if you don't mind," Lockhart said.

Harry blinked and looked down at Sam, who had sat up. The fox lifted one paw hesitantly, holding it up as his ears dropped and his head turned slightly.

 _: Why?_ Sam spoke to everyone in the room this time. Everyone was looking between him and Lockhart.

"I'd like to demonstrate defense against kitsune. You never know when you might come across such a dangerous animal like your kind."

 _: I can tell you your chances: one in a million. Make that a billion._

"Come on, this will be such a useful lesson. Surely you know that one kitsune attracts another – maybe one more dangerous."

Harry didn't think that Sam would ever agree, but seeing the fox sigh after a moment, Harry figured what Lockhart had said must have had some truth to it. For once. Sam slowly stood to all fours and walked over to Lockhart, turning to face the class as he sat next to the wizard, making sure to keep some distance between them.

Lockhart picked up a strange bottle, everyone in the class straining to see it. Sam suddenly leaped away from the man before snarling angrily at him, fur bristling, his tails flicking in opposite directions.

 _: You touch me with that and I'll –_

"Have no fear, Sam," Lockhart smiled calmly. "I won't let it touch you. Not a drop."

Sam didn't move, his tails still flicking and his fur still on edge. Harry wondered if Sam was thinking back to Severus's cautioning words about Lockhart. Why had Sam reacted like that? What was in the bottle? Finally, Sam moved a few steps closer, before deciding to sit where he was, still several steps away from Lockhart.

"This class," Lockhart said, holding up the bottle after opening it, "is Tequila, forty percent alcohol. Although, a beer as high as fifteen percent – no less! – would do just as well."

Harry frowned. What was the point of this? Harry was sure Sam had drunken a beer with his father a couple times. Unless that fifteen percent number was a big factor in how much alcohol a kitsune could tolerate.

"Now, Sam," Lockhart began.

 _: Where did you learn this?_ Sam growled.

"Oh, well . . . from my travels to Japan, of course."

Sam growled again, his ears flattening on his head. Harry was more afraid Sam was about to tear Lockhart to shreds than whatever Lockhart might do.

"Anyway, Sam," Lockhart took some rather brave, maybe overconfident steps towards the fox. "If you'd just sniff it, that's all I ask, so the class can see what happens."

Sam snarled when Lockhart was a few steps away, teeth bared and all as he stood to all fours, growing to his largest size. For the first time, Lockhart seemed to have common sense and paused, suddenly looking just a bit unsure. He still, however, squatted slightly and held the bottle out towards the snarling fox. Everyone in the room held their breath as they watched Sam and their professor stare each other down.

Then, Sam sighed and took a step forward, stretching out his neck to sniff at the alcohol, the black nose twitching. Harry's eyes widened as Sam's legs began to violently shake under him. Sam sneezed, and his eyes looked glassier.

"And," Lockhart said, "if you could try to breathe a flame?"

Sam pulled back with obvious annoyance, but did open his mouth, sending a couple sparks flying before hacking as if he was choked. Sam coughed, a few sparks flying slightly. Harry didn't like this at all. Sam finally seemed to clear his throat as he sat down, his tails curled around him.

"You see, class, if Sam were to drink this, it would kill him. Of course, no kitsune is stupid enough to drink this, so you'd have to force it down their throats. But this is a very useful defense trick against these creatures; it really weakens their magical abilities. They're weaker, lose their fiery breath, and can even pass out from the stench alone! I recommend always carrying alcohol with you if you ever visit Japan. There is nothing a kitsune can do once he is under this influence."

Unbeknownst to Lockhart, Sam's eyes narrowed at that, and he lit one tail and flicked it towards the man without having to stand or move. A little spark of fire flew off his tail and caught the hem of the man's robe.

"Professor!" a student called out as the small flame ate away at the fabric.

Lockhart looked down and shouted in alarm before beating down on the ends of his robe. Sam walked back to Harry's seat with a sly smile, sitting down next to Harry's chair since he was too big to curl up under the table at Harry's feet now. Once the flame was out, Lockhart looked back up at the class.

"Of course," he assured everyone, brushing off his robes as he stood, "they can still light their tails. The alcohol really just messes up their insides more than the outsides. Good demonstration, Sam."

 _: Of course_ , Sam bowed his head. _I love having permission to set fires._

Everyone laughed while Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"What would happen if you dumped alcohol on a kitsune? Would that affect them or can alcohol only affect them internally?"

"Well, err . . ."

 _: The skin would absorb it_ , Sam answered, _and just as if I were to drink it, the alcohol would kill me. Perhaps not as quickly though. But it would also take out any tail fire. Good thinking, Hermione._

"Yes, precisely!" Lockhart agreed. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

Hermione raised her hand again.

"Is there any way to reverse the alcohol? Say, if you didn't want the kitsune to die?"

Lockhart frowned, "Well, you see, the alcohol is rather deadly if drank and I do not believe there's a cure . . .right Sam?"

 _: Drinking alcohol at that percentage results in death so quickly, there'd be no time to administer a reversal for it. However, say I was doused in alcohol, dumping milk thistle tea on me within an hour can neutralize the alcohol. I learned that from your father,_ Sam looked at Harry with a smile. _And we tested his theory on one of my tails. Risky, but it worked._

"Cool!" Harry said.

"See, class? There is much to be learned in defense against the dark arts. I believe we will have a splendid class."

"Yeah, if Sam's the teacher," Ron muttered quietly.

Harry snorted and nodded in agreement.

"Because in my class," Lockhart said, moving toward something that was covered in a corner of the room. Harry frowned, feeling as though he'd seen this before. "It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind. You may find yourself facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm will befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them!"

* * *

"And then he released a bunch of Cornish Pixies on us and they caused havoc all over the room!" Harry told his Uncle Remus as he watched the man spar with Sam (in human form) with the wooden swords Sam had a strange word for (which Harry kept forgetting – boksomething?). They were in his father's quarters now, Remus being there for more Wolfsbane before accepting a challenge from Sam and sparring in the living room. "And he didn't even stop them! He ran and hid in his office. Hermione stopped used a spell to freeze them all."

"She is a very bright pupil from what I hear," Remus said, grunting Sam's sword jabbed at his shoulder. Remus rubbed his shoulder that had been assaulted several times. "Shouldn't we be wearing protective gear, Sam?"

"Oh yes, because should a real fight to the death ever happen on the streets, your enemy will gladly wait for you to throw on some protective gear before he kills you."

"Because that is definitely something people do in the UK. Anyway, your professor sounds like he'll be entertaining, Harry. At least you have that to look forward to."

"But we won't learn anything, Uncle! I have an idea – you should teach the class! You're an Auror. You have so much experience and you'd be really fun and –"

"I'd love to, Harry," Remus said, setting himself up across from Sam, "but I don't exactly have the time for two high demanding jobs. And besides, you know my condition. Parents would protest."

Harry sighed and settled himself of the couch to watch Remus and Sam spar again. It was more amusing watching his uncle and even his father try and take on Sam's many, many, many years of experience. Remus thrusted forward, but Sam moved to the side, but the sword around and down – aiming for Remus's arm, but seeing this, Remus stepped aside and tried to aim for Sam's exposed shoulder, but Sam was quick to block. Usually, Sam would have ended this by now, but Remus seemed to be getting a lot of moves in. As Sam blocked another move, he held up a finger while still holding the handle of his sword, making Remus stop with a confused look, and he picked up a glass of water on the coffee table. He took a long drink from it, Remus still a bit confused as he watched the fox set the glass back down.

Then, Sam tapped Remus's shoulder once more and Harry snorted as Remus gave the fox a look of disbelief.

"You've been playing me this whole time!"

"Like the Fox and the Crow."

"And here, I really thought I had found the upper hand," Remus huffed.

"And the moral of this story is," Sam said dramatically, his ears flicking in his hair "never trust a fox."

"I thought it was never listen to flattery?"

"It all ties together. It was good practicing with you," Sam bowed respectfully, Remus copying him before setting the sword on the coffee table.

"I'm sure it was for you. My shoulders are killing me. Well, I need to head back home. I have a lot of paperwork to do tomorrow. Tell Severus I said good night, for me, will you, Harry?"

"Yes, Uncle Remus."

After Remus left through the floo, Harry looked at Sam, who was gulping down another glass of water. When he finished, he looked back at Harry, pointing the sword at him. "Your turn," he said.

"No way – I don't need to be sore tomorrow."

"Chicken."

"Maybe Dad will fight with you. Let's go ask."

Harry ran to the ajar lab door and pushed it open more. He knew to knock when it was completely shut, but when it was ajar, he could enter cautiously and not get yelled at. Severus was writing something down on parchment while a cauldron boiled in front of him.

"Hey, Dad, want to challenge Sam?"

"Not now, Harry. I'm pretty busy."

Sam ran into the lab and jumped up on the table Severus was working at, perfectly landing in a squat position. Severus glared at the fox for daring to intrude further than the lab door.

"Are you sure you're busy?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Now get off this table before you knock over this cauldron!"

"Come now, Severus, I'm insulted! with all my years of practiced precision and graceful fluidity," – Sam walked across the table, moving stealthily around the cauldron – "I'm insulted that you'd think I'd actually knock a cauldron over . . . accidentally."

Severus's eyes widened as he watched Sam touch the rim of the cauldron with the wooden sword. He growled, "Don't you dare."

Harry ran into the room with the other sword in his hand, climbing up on the table and standing up, holding the sword in the way Sam had taught him. Sam angled his own Sword in Harry's direction.

"Harry, get down this instant! Sam, you're a bad influence!"

"I dareth thee to a challenge!" Harry said.

"What are we," Sam shook his head amused, "Shakespearean now? Thou asketh for trouble, young squire!"

"Oh, come on, you two," Severus snapped. Agitated, he levitated his cauldron to a different table, glad that all remained was a simmer. Then, he swished his wand and the table disappeared under the two swordsmen, who both fell on a cushioned floor, courtesy of Severus.

"Dar'st thou resolve to kill friends overth a silly cauldron?" Sam said, lying on his back, acting as though he was in great agony. "Betrayal!"

"Et tu, father? Then fall, Harry!" Harry draped an arm over his head dramatically.

"Get up, you idiots," Severus chuckled, unable not to.

Sam smirked and jumped to his feet, landing neatly on his feet. He reached down to pull Harry up, but the boy kicked his own legs up and landed on his feet, but nearly fell backwards if Sam hadn't grabbed his hand and straightened him.

"There you guys are!" Draco's voice entered the lab. "What is everyone doing in here?"

"Dangerously fooling around," Severus glared at Sam and Harry pointedly.

"Alright, we'll leave," Sam said, accepting the sword from Harry to put them both away.

"Yes," Severus agreed, following everyone out of his lab. "We will all leave. Have you boys eaten dinner?"

"Not yet, Uncle Sev," Draco answered, "dinner starts in a couple minutes, so we could all head up together."

"Or, we could just all enjoy the peace and quiet and eat down here," Severus suggested.

"Sounds good to me!" Harry said.

"Me, too!" Draco agreed. "I came down to ask how many chapters of the textbook I should read to prepare for tomorrow's lecture, though."

"I would recommend getting a full night's sleep," Severus said, sitting at the head of the table. Sam had disappeared in one of the rooms to shift back to his normal fox self. The two boys sat on either side of him. "If you start trying to review too hard to impress me, you'll end up coming to my class tired and you both know I feel about paying attention."

"Yes, sir."

When food arrived, Sam had quickly reappeared and dug into his salmon and steamed vegetables out of his bowl on the floor. Harry began eating a cheese-filled scone, though quickly shoveled up some rice at his father's glare. Draco just smirked at Harry.

"Draco," Harry asked, "did you have Defense against the Dark Arts yet?"

"Yeah, I had that class yesterday. We are being a taught by a buffoon!"

"Buffoon or not, I expect you to show Professor Lockhart respect as a staff member of this school."

Draco raised his eyebrows at Harry and Harry just took a long drink of his pumpkin juice before saying, "Sam burned Professor Lockhart's robe."

"Sam!" Severus glared down at the fox while Draco just gave Sam a thumbs up.

 _: He had me demonstrate the effects of alcohol,_ Sam said, his lips curling in remembrance. _And you should hear his so-called true stories of fighting kitsune. I needed a little stress relief._

"You don't think they're true?" Draco asked.

 _He said he faced off ten kitsune at once_ , Sam shook out his fur, _and lived to tell the tale. Obviously, that's not true. The numbers do not work, kitsune are too rare to travel in such numbers, and one person against ten kitsune? That would be like . . . one Gilderoy Lockhart against ten Severus Snapes._

Harry choked on his pumpkin juice, Draco choked on his rice, and Severus just smirked.

"That," the man said, "I can agree with."

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter! I have so much to work with from here - I hope I'll find time to update soon! Of course, even now, when I should be studying, I'm typing away into the wee hours of the morning. Severus would disapprove. Sleep is important everyone. Haha! Thanks for reading!


	15. The Price

This chapter is a bit short, but needed for the story. I hope you enjoy! This chapter was asked for by so many of you so I have granted your wish!

* * *

Harry dreamed of castles and dungeons, knights jousting and bugles sounding, and poor Ivanhoe wounded and imprisoned. There was so much action – so many difficult decisions had to be made – and they were all unfolding in this wonderful book he had spent all night reading. Harry yawned and adjusted himself, happily falling back into the colorful, medieval dreamscape that invaded his imagination. He was now Ivanhoe – the greatest, toughest, and bravest knights of all –

A loud tapping interrupted Harry's dream. Harry tried to ignore it, scrunching his eyes tighter together.

The incessant tapping grew louder.

Harry groaned and opened his eyes to see a finger tapping the corner of his desk. The finger stopped tapping and then Severus squatted in front of Harry's desk, giving the boy a mild glare. Harry blinked, then shot up in his seat with a gasp, looking around the classroom. There was no one else in the room besides himself and his father. Oh no.

"Tired, Mr. Snape?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "Or was my lecture that boring?"

"No, sir. It wasn't. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"As I'm sure you've noticed," Severus said, standing back up and folding his arms, "class is over. You've slept through my entire lecture. Do you even have the slightest clue what class was about?"

"Err," Harry tried to remember what his father had been talking about before he had fallen asleep. He didn't have a clue. "Something about . . . boomslang skin?"

Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry but said nothing. It was enough to tell Harry that his answer was wrong. Harry gulped and looked down at the smooth surface of his desk, trying to ignore the waves of anger seething off his father. It was just last night Severus had lectured him and Draco on the importance of getting a good night's sleep. And he did the exact opposite.

"So, what kept you up this time?" Severus asked, sarcasm starting to creep into his voice. "Sugar?"

Harry shook his head. Using that excuse once was enough.

"You could have woken me earlier," Harry said softly, his face reddening at the fact that his entire class had to know that he had fallen asleep in his father's class. Why didn't his friends wake him? Hermione would have been aghast to see anyone sleeping in class.

"I could have, yes," Severus agreed, "but I'm sure missing an entire lecture will help this lesson sink in harder. I asked your friends to leave you be as well. This will have to come out of your participation grade."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"But you did. And I would appreciate a good reason as to why."

"I . . . I'm just tired."

"I said a good reason."

Harry rubbed at his eyes, fighting a yawn. His mind tried to come up with a better reason than: I stayed up till half past three reading several chapters of _Ivanhoe_. He was just a little over half way through and he figured he could finish it over the weekend if he spent his hours doing just that. However, he was sure there was no possible excuse his father would buy except the truth.

"Harry," Severus growled, "I'm waiting.

Yep – the truth it was.

"I was reading."

"That book your uncle gave you? How late were you up till?"

"Maybe three? Four?"

Severus sighed heavily through his nose as he shook his head at Harry.

"I do recall our conversation last night and the night before. Do you remember what we've talked about on the matters of sleep?"

"Yes, sir."

"Please, remind me of those conversations."

"A good night's sleep is important to stay focused in classes. I know."

"If you know, then you should have done yourself a favor and went to bed at a reasonable time. Now it's cost you an entire lesson that you will have to make up. You will report to our quarters this afternoon after your charms class and we will go over the lesson you missed.

"But I have astronomy."

"Not until midnight. Unless Professor Sinistra has changed the times on me?"

"No, she hasn't."

"You are not getting out of this that easily, young man. And that book of yours, you will bring to me this afternoon as well, unless you have it on you now."

"Why?" Harry frowned.

"Because I'm taking it."

"No, please don't. I can finish it this weekend and it won't be a problem."

"But it is a problem. And what were you planning on doing, using good study hours to read? No, I'm taking the book and when you show me that you can manage your classes, get a good night's sleep, and stay awake through classes, I'll return the book to you. But for now, you are grounded from it for a week."

"But Dad, this isn't fair! You can't just –"

"Two weeks."

"Dad!" Harry's mouth fell open before he glared at his father, opening his mouth to protest more.

"Shut your mouth or I'll make it three weeks."

Harry hmphed as he shut his mouth, not wanting to lengthen his grounding any more than what it was.

"Two weeks it is. Lunch is in an hour, you should go find your friends and review what you missed in class before coming to meet with me. And you better have that book with you or I'll escort you to your dorm and have you hand it to me there."

Harry's face paled in mortification at that image, having his father walk him to his dorm in front of all his friends just to confiscate a book. He would do anything to avoid that. Harry nodded and said, "I'll have the book."

"Good. You're dismissed."

Harry jumped out of his seat, but before he could take a step, his father stopped him.

"Wait," Severus summoned a small vial from his supply closet. He handed it to Harry. "Take this."

Harry recognized it as Pepper-up. He sighed but opened the vial and gulped down the small dose, smacking his lips at the minty flavor. He handed the vial back to Severus.

"Hopefully that'll keep you awake during Charms. There'd be no point in going to another lecture just to sleep through it."

"Thanks," Harry said before leaving the classroom.

He found Ron, Draco, and Hermione in the hall sitting against the wall.

"Well, it's about time," Draco said, jumping to his feet. "How was your nap, Harry?"

"Oh, stuff it, Draco," Harry scowled at the blonde's smirk.

Hermione and Ron stood as well.

"Your dad didn't sound very happy with you," Ron stated, giving Harry a concerned look.

"Did you guys hear everything?" Harry's face burned as everyone nodded.

"I would have woken you earlier," Hermione said, "but Professor Snape insisted on leaving you be. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. My Dad said it was meant to be a lesson on getting a good night's sleep."

"Sleep is very important," Hermione said. "Getting a good night's sleep can improve memory and –"

"Save it for someone who cares," Draco snapped.

"You should all care! Sleep is critical to our health."

"We know! No one here wants a lecture about it. We just had to spend an hour listening to Professor Snape's lecture on flobberworm mucus."

"I found the lecture very fascinating."

"Of course, you did."

"Oh yeah," Harry remembered, "Dad told me to get a review on today's lesson from you guys. So, flobberworm mucus?"

* * *

After lunch and Charms lecture, Harry made his way down to his father's quarters, ready to impress the man with his knowledge on flobberworm mucus and its many uses in potions. He looked down at the cover of Ivanhoe, sad that he wouldn't be reading it for two weeks. It wasn't often he found a book that just roped him into its pages. Oh well, maybe a break would do him good. Then he could really focus on his classes and impress his father and earn the book back.

He opened the door to their quarters.

"Dad!" he called.

 _: He isn't here,_ Sam said from the corner of the living room near his dog bed.

Sam was busy performing "dog yoga," as Harry dubbed it just to annoy Sam, on a yoga matt. The fox would perform it every now and then, saying it was good for the muscles and overall health. Harry would sometimes join him just for the fun of it. And it did feel good to stretch. Right now, Sam was in an upward salute pose, standing on his back legs and reaching up with his front paws.

"Where'd he go?" Harry asked, sitting on the couch, setting the book down on the coffee table.

 _: First staff meeting,_ Sam answered, dropping into a downward dog. _He'll be back in twenty, thirty minutes. Something like that. What are you doing here?_

"I have to make-up a lesson I slept through."

 _: You slept through your father's class?_ Sam began laughing in his foxy way, his tails offering wags as he maintained a downward dog. _How did that go over?_

"I'm glad you find it funny. He's taking my book away." Harry stretched out on the couch. "I guess I'll just rest here till he shows up."

 _: You're welcome to join me. This will help revive your energy._ Sam altered into an equestrian pose, placing one back paw in between his two front paws.

"I have a feeling I'll get on the floor and fall asleep," Harry said.

 _: You'll fall asleep just as quickly lying on the couch like that._

"Maybe," Harry yawned. He glanced at the book on the coffee table. Then something blue caught his eye.

It was Sam's dragon tooth necklace, resting on the corner of the coffee table. And it was glowing blue. Harry had never seen the tooth do that before. He always thought it was just a tooth. Clearly, there was more to it than just fashion. Harry sat up abruptly on the couch, his eyes locked on the strange phenomenon. Sam never allowed him to touch it, nor had he ever been this close to it when it was off Sam. He glanced at Sam, glad the fox was facing the other way. He reached out a hand to touch the necklace.

 _: Ah-ah!_ Sam said. Harry yanked his hand back. Sam had lowered himself into an upward dog and was looking back at him. _Don't touch it. Especially right now._

"It's glowing."

 _: Yes, it does that._

"Why?"

 _: It's . . . a long story. It just wants to finish its job._

"What job?"

 _: Again, it's a long story. Just leave it be, it'll stop soon enough. It'll give up._

"Why aren't you wearing it?" Harry frowned, looking at Sam.

 _: One, because it's glowing, and two, because it pricks me when I do these stretches. Now hush, you're disrupting my breathing._

Harry stared at Sam a bit longer, watching him take in a couple slow, deep breaths, his eyes closed. Then he turned his attention back to the necklace. What on earth was Sam talking about – trying to finish a job? What job? As far as Harry could tell, it was just a necklace. Checking to make sure Sam was still preoccupied with his yoga, Harry reached out to touch the necklace once more. His finger brushed against the smooth surface. The blue glow seemed to wrap itself around Harry's finger, a sense of overwhelming power pushing gravity on Harry's chest. It was a weird feeling and it took Harry's breath away momentarily.

 _: Harry!_ Sam's voice scolded in his head.

Harry jumped and yanked his hand back. Sam was back up in an equestrian pose with the opposite foot, but he was glaring back at Harry now.

 _: I said don't touch it. Don't make me have to come over there and watch you._

"Sorry, Sam," Harry said, leaning back into the couch cushion, ignoring the necklace.

Sam stared at him a moment longer before focusing back on his breathing and yoga, though Harry could see by the fox's flattened ears that he was still tense and annoyed. Harry waited until the ears perked up, relaxed and calm and Sam was, before looking back at the necklace. He felt a strange pull to pick the necklace up. Maybe it was the eerily glowing blue light emitting from its surface. Harry reached out, glancing between the tooth and Sam. His fingertips lightly grasped the tooth and he held his breath, looking back at the fox. Sam wasn't looking; he was too focused on his yoga. Taking the opportunity, Harry picked the necklace up, cradling it in his hand.

The blue glow engulfed his entire hand, and Harry felt dazed, entranced. He wondered about the job Sam had said, and what it might be. _What are you trying to finish?_ Harry thought, frowning at the tooth. _Just finish your job._

As he thought that last sentence, the blue glow brightened, and a wind chill blew around Harry, causing every hair to stand. He shivered. When did it get so cold? A noise invaded Harry's ears, a voice that sounded a lot like Sam's, whispering: _Reveal to me the danger I seek, reveal to me the danger I seek._

Harry looked over at Sam, but the fox didn't seem aware of what was happening. He looked back at the tooth when a thin, bluish fog settled around him, hiding away the entire room except the way to the door, which opened itself for Harry. The fog continued out the door, creating a pathway.

 _Reveal to me the danger I seek,_ the voice continued to whisper around Harry, _reveal to me the danger I seek._

Harry stood from the couch and followed the fog, leaving his father's quarters, the tooth held tight in his grasp. The fog was leading him somewhere. It wanted to show him something. This must be the job Sam was talking about. What kind of job was this? And what danger did Sam seek? Or was it danger the tooth sought?

The fog lifted itself up the stairway to the first floor and Harry followed in a trance-like walk.

 _Reveal to me the danger I seek,_ the voice continued, before turning into the sounds of hissing, similar to a snake. The hissing sent shivers down Harry's spine. From the wall, it sounded as though the pipes were malfunctioning, banging and clanging. The hissing grew louder as the voice returned: reveal to me the danger I seek.

The fog lifted up another stairway, leading to the second floor. Harry was about to walk up the stairs when Sam bit down hard on his wrist, the hand which held the tooth.

"Ow!" Harry cried and yanked, but Sam kept a firm grip, snarling. The fox, wolf-sized, bit down harder, and Harry drew in a sharp breath, his eyes welling with tears. The fog around him was slowly fading away.

"Sam," Harry pleaded, his wrist hurting, "stop. Let go."

The blue glow of the tooth was starting to dim, and wondering if it was what Sam wanted, Harry dropped the necklace. The blue glow faded entirely as the tooth it the floor. There was no more fog, noises, or blue light. Sam released Harry, who cradled his wrist, which was red and swollen.

 _: I told you not to touch it!_ Sam barked angrily, his ears flat and his tails twitching agitatedly.

"I'm sorry!" Harry apologized. Harry rubbed his wrist. "Why did you do that? It hurts."

 _: It's just bruised, sprained at the most, I didn't bite that hard._ Sam paced around Harry, his tails flicking every which way. The fox seemed very tense. He paused near the tooth, using mind magic to lift it and slip his head through the loop, shaking his neck out to put it back where it belonged. Then he walked circles around Harry again.

"What are you doing?"

 _: The price, the price,_ Sam grumbled.

Harry frowned, wondering what Sam was talking about. He looked at his wrist, seeing how swollen it was. He'd never touch that necklace again. Sam had never bitten him so forcefully before. The tooth's magic was interesting, and he couldn't help but follow it. It had been rather cool, but now Sam was on edge about the price.

"What do you mean price?" Harry asked.

Sam snarled at him, but before the fox could speak, blue fog swirled into view, spinning near the ground, forming the shape of a snake before disappearing. A black mamba remained in its place. The snake rose up and hissed.

Harry gasped and stepped back. Sam lunged at the snake, barking and snarling, nipping at it but avoiding its own strikes. The snake tried to slither around Sam, its tongue flicking in Harry's direction. Sam jumped in its way, managing to nip its tail and toss it back a few feet. The snake rose and spat at Sam, striking at the fox, missing by a hair.

Harry wasn't sure what to do. He reached for his wand and pointed at the snake when another one appeared at his feet and lunged at him. He screamed and fell over on the stairs, back crawling up them as the second mamba followed.

"Sam!"

Sam rushed to the stairs, biting the snake's tail and throwing it aside. A third and fourth mamba appeared, all lunging at Sam while trying to get around the fox. Harry crawled up the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest. He lifted his wand once more, wanting to help Sam defeat the snakes. A body-binding spell was on the tip of his tongue when he heard a hiss near his head. Looking up, he was face to face with a black mamba, ready to strike.

Harry screamed.

Sam looked back and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat. He raced up the stairs and lunged at the mamba that hissed at him. But when he closed his jaws, he only grabbed a mouthful of air. He stared at the empty spot. The snake had vanished, which meant the price had been paid. Sam looked at Harry.

Their eyes locked, but Harry's face was unharmed. Harry looked down at his arm, and Sam realized Harry must have blocked his face with it. Drops of blood dripped from four small puncture wounds.

 _: No,_ Sam moaned, rushing to Harry's side.

"I don't feel good," Harry said, his voice thick with tears, "Sam, I don't feel good, my hands are tingling."

 _: Relax,_ Sam said, sliding himself under Harry's arm to help the boy slide down the stairs slowly and carefully. He helped Harry lean against the wall. The boy looked flushed already.

Sam knew that when he had been bitten, his own magic had helped keep him alive, along with his preexposure to snake venom in the past. But Harry – Sam wasn't sure if Harry's magic would help him or not. And he was sure Harry had never been bit by a venomous snake before. Harry was starting to sweat, and his breathing was sounding more forced.

"Sam," Harry gasped.

 _: Just relax,_ Sam moved closer to Harry, _don't talk. I'm right here._

Sam quickly sent out a telepathic message to Severus and any human that happened to be close to them. He hoped they moved quickly because Harry did not have a lot of time.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered.

Sam sighed, his ears dropping, _I told you to leave it be. Why didn't you listen to me?_

"I don't know," Harry choked slightly on air, his body slowly becoming drenched in his own sweat.

 _: Hush, don't speak. We'll get through this._

Sam looked down at the necklace around his neck. He should have kept it closer in his watch. When that ghost girl had interrupted him days back, the tooth had never finished its job, which was to reveal the danger he sought. Sam wasn't sure if he wanted it to finish, knowing the price he'd have to pay each time. Eventually, if he ignored it, the tooth would give up on insisting he finish what he started. But he had put Harry in danger. And he felt terrible. He hoped someone would hurry up and find them.

Harry started crying, blood dripping down his arm to his elbow. Sam rested his head on top of Harry's, hoping to provide some comfort.

* * *

Remember to review!


	16. Tension

I am free from college! I now enter the world of adulthood! Anyway, here is the next chapter. It's another short one, but I guess this and the previous chapter would have made the usual chapter lengths I usually write. Fair enough, right? Enjoy!

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"Sam," Harry choked out, the castle walls spinning around him. He wanted Sam to make everything stop spinning before he got too dizzy and vomited, but his tongue felt swollen in his mouth, stuck to his palate. He blinked dazedly, trying to make out the blurry red form swaying back and forth in his vision. Couldn't Sam stop moving for one second?

 _: Don't worry,_ Sam's voice thundered in his head. Harry winced. _Help is near._

Harry wanted to say that all he needed was for everything to hold still again. But his tongue didn't work. Nothing worked. Not his arms, not his legs, not even his head. Harry could hear his heart pounding in his chest and he his arms and legs were tingling. He felt so sick and his eyes felt so heavy. He wanted to sleep but the wall behind him was so cold. Couldn't they go back to their quarters? He wanted his nice, warm bed to plop in.

 _: Keep your eyes open,_ Sam commanded.

"I want . . . sleep," Harry tried to argue. "Tired."

"Oh dear!" A voice shrieked loudly. "Oh dear! What happened?"

 _: Black mamba._

"What? How?"

"Shh," Harry forced through his lips. Why was everyone yelling so loudly? Indoor voices, please. His head hurt enough without all the talking. He tried to see who Sam was talking to, but the figure was spinning around as fast as the castle around him. The voice sounded like Poppy though.

 _: Ah, I . . . it's a long story, I'll explain later. Can you help him?_

"Hmm. He's lucky he's a wizard else he'd be dead by now. I have an antivenom. Let me see if I can . . ."

Suddenly, Poppy's face came into view and she reached out towards Harry. Harry watched as the hand holding some strange vial morphed into a hideous black snake. It stuck its tongue out and lunged at Harry.

"Ahhh!" Harry screamed, backing up more into the wall, his feet kicking. "Get away from me!"

"Harry, relax," Poppy's voice continued. "It's just me. You're okay, I'm going to help you."

Two snakes were lunging at Harry now, wrapping themselves around Harry's wrists to restrain him, hissing. Harry screamed louder, yanking harder to pull away.

"Sam, help!"

 _: He's delirious,_ said Sam, _give that to him! He's getting worse._

"I can't just shove it down his throat while he's like this, he could choke!"

 _: He'll die if you wait much longer!_

The snake's vanished and Harry curled in on himself.

"Merlin's beard, what happened?" A deeper voice banged on Harry's ear drum and he covered his ears to drown out the noise, squeezing his eyes shut.

"A black mamba, apparently."

"A black . . . like when you were attacked?"

 _: Yes, same situation, and for the record, I told him not to touch my necklace._

"Does anyone want to let me in on what's going on?"

"We will – have you given him any of that yet?"

"No. I tried to, but he freaked out."

"Harry," the deeper voice sounded more concerned. Just like his father. "He's so flushed. Harry, baby, can you look at me?"

Harry opened his eyes, hoping to see his dad's caring face. And for a split second, that was what he saw. But the dark robes his father wore swallowed the man, turning into a huge black mamba with red eyes. Harry screamed and tried to crawl away, only for the large snake to grab him, wrapping tightly around his chest, pinning his arms to his side. Harry tried kicking as two smaller snakes reached for his face. Tears left a burning trail down his cheeks as he called out.

"Sam!" Harry cried, still kicking, managing to kick one snake away.

Harry could make out a blurry red form, knowing it was Sam. But the fox didn't free him. Instead, Sam laid over his kicking legs, pinning them to the floor while the two smaller snakes moved for his face again, snapping their jaws. Harry cried louder, confused by Sam's traitorous actions. The snakes pried his mouth open and a putrid liquid trickled down his throat. Harry coughed and pulled his head away, only to have his mouth pried open again and another tasteless liquid slipped down his esophagus. His eyes felt even heavier, and he gave in to the feeling and closed his eyes.

* * *

"He looks dead," a voice sounded above his head, stirring him from his deep slumber. Harry groaned and shifted, the light weight of a hospital bed blanket moving around him.

"He's not dead," came another voice, sounding a bit further away. "Madam Pomfrey gave him a strong sedative along with the antivenom. He should be waking up any minute."

"I don't know, Uncle Sev," the voice above him spoke. Harry felt a finger poke him in the side and he scrunched his nose at the feel. "He looks like death warmed up. Smells like it, too."

Harry frowned at the comment. Finding the strength to open his eyes, he looked around his surroundings, noting he was lying in an infirmary bed. Draco was standing at his side and Severus was moving around in the back where Madam Pomfrey kept her potions. Harry rubbed at his head, which felt very hot.

"And he lives," Draco said at his side.

"Mm-nn-mumph," Harry groaned out, not having found his voice yet.

"Great, he's a zombie. Now he's going to start an apocalypse."

"Better not let me bite you," Harry managed to say.

"You won't infect me. I'll get away. A Slytherin would be the last infected by an apocalypse."

"And who would be first – a Gryffindor?"

"Obviously. Your house would try and kill all the zombies and run right at them. Then Ravenclaws would be next because they would try to find a cure and expose themselves. Then Hufflepuffs would all try to die together in some kumbaya style. And then there's me."

"And you would . . .?" Harry encouraged.

"Survive. I mean, it's going to be a while for the zombies to get through the other houses first. That leaves me time to come up with an escape."

"You have too much house pride."

"And you have too much house stupidity. Who picks up a glowing dragon tooth? Doesn't that ring any alarm bells?"

"It should have," Severus spoke, moving toward Harry, setting several vials down on a nearby table. He rested a hand on Harry's forehead. "You're burning up. How do you feel? Nauseous? Dizzy? Any weird sensations?"

"Just hot."

"Hmm," Severus waved his wand over Harry's head. "You have a fever of 102. I'll give you a fever reducer. And you're sure you feel fine otherwise?"

"Yes, Dad. Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"Busy. I told her I could take care of you while she tends to some flu-ridden third years." Severus picked up a vial and handed it to Harry. "Fever reducer."

Harry drank the potion, grimacing at the taste. He sighed and rested his head on his pillow, his mouth feeling dry.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked worriedly. "Are you dizzy? Is the potion not settling well? Are you –?"

"Dad," Harry interrupted. "I'm fine. Just a little thirsty."

"I'll get you water."

Once Severus had moved away and his back was turned, Draco made the cuckcoo sign, motioning toward Severus with his head. Harry snorted, and Draco smirked. Severus returned with a glass of water, which Harry started gulping down quickly, only to be told to slow down by his father. He took smaller sips until Severus turned his back, then gulped the rest down. It was Draco's turn to snort as the boy sat on the edge of Harry's bed. Severus picked up a towel and dabbed at Harry's face, drying him off.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"After dinner," Draco supplied.

"Eight-thirty-ish," Severus said.

"All you've done," said Draco, "is sleep and sweat."

"What did you do, watch me sleep the whole time? Creep."

"You did look dead. I wasn't sure if I was watching you sleep or take your last breaths."

"Draco," Severus glared at the boy.

"I'm alive as ever," Harry said, kicking the blanket off as he still felt hot.

"You are very lucky, young man," Severus said, giving Harry a stern look, pausing in cleaning up Harry. "Do you have any idea how close to death you came today?"

"Isn't he always close to death at least once a year?" Draco remarked, earning a harsh flick of the towel to the back of his head.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I know I shouldn't have touched the necklace, but it was . . . I couldn't help it. After I touched it the first time and Sam told me to leave it, I felt like I had to touch it again. It was like a strange pull in a way."

"Sam explained," Severus began, sitting on the edge opposite of Draco, "that the tooth's magic was activated at the moment, and it was attempting to lure anyone into using its magic. It's like a terrible temptation you can't resist once the magic affects you. That is why Sam wasn't wearing the necklace. Though he is used to it and can usually resist it, it helps to leave the necklace off. When you touched it, the magic seeped into you and acted as that temptation."

"Sounds like dark magic," Draco stated.

"I believe it might be," Severus said, "but Sam does know how to control it and he knows more about it than any of us. And if he said to leave it, then you should have listened to him and left it."

"I know. I've just never seen it do something like that before."

"All the more reason to leave it alone."

"I'm really sorry, Dad. I'll never touch it again. But I don't understand why it brought snakes here."

"This happened to Sam before. The same incident with the snakes."

Harry remembered when he had been feeling guilty for his late-night adventure with the twins and visited his father. He nodded his head.

"So," Severus rubbed the back of his neck and frowned, "from what I understand, the tooth has the ability to give you whatever you demand, say . . . a wish or desire, but there is always a price to pay for what you demand of it. And I guess it usually relates to whatever it was you asked in some way. A while back, Sam had asked to be shown the danger that that house elf Dobby had been on about, but the magic was interrupted before it could finish."

"And it was glowing because it wants to finish," Harry concluded.

"Yes," Severus nodded, "but at the price of being bitten by a deadly snake. Not exactly favorable."

"Why does there have to be a price?" Draco asked.

"I'm really not sure," Severus shook his head, "that's something you'll have to ask Sam."

"It doesn't seem like a very safe thing to be wearing," Draco frowned. "Why does he even keep it?"

"Personal reasons," Severus answered, standing up and looking at Harry. "If you are feeling well enough, you may come down to our quarters and sleep in your room for he night."

"I guess it would be better than staying alone here," Harry decided.

"Well, I'll let our friends know you're alive," Draco said, hopping off the bed. "I was really hoping to devastate them with some terrible news."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, like maybe you have toxic blood now or scaly skin or maybe you have fangs or –"

"He was bitten by a snake not cursed by a deranged witch," Severus said.

"I know, but I was still hoping for a cool story. He could have at least turned into a zombie."

After Draco left, Severus and Harry walked down slowly to their quarters, where Severus tucked Harry into bed.

"I'll bring you a light dinner and then it's straight to bed. You need the rest."

"Yes, Dad."

"And for the record, you are grounded from your book for three weeks now."

"Aww, come on, Dad."

"Do not "come on" me, you earned it. You are lucky I don't add a smacking to your punishment. Listening is something you seem to be forgetting how to do, but I'm telling you now, you better start remembering how to listen, or your bottom is toast, young man."

"Yes, sir."

"Let me get you some grilled cheese and soup for tonight, then bed."

"Can I get hot chocolate, too?" Harry asked excitedly.

"No," came the immediate stern response. Harry pouted.

 _: Glad to see you feeling better,_ Sam said, trotting into Harry's room. The fox sat at the side of Harry's bed, tilting his head up at the boy. _That was quite the scare you gave everyone._

"Hey, Sam. I'm sorry about your necklace an all."

 _: You should have listened to me when I said to leave it be. This is not a toy._

"I never thought it was. I just didn't think it did anything . . . like that. It's kind of scary, actually."

 _: Yes, its strange magic can be quite scary. I remember when I first realized of its true potential. I almost destroyed it when I learned._

"Why didn't you?"

 _: Well, yes there is – what do you call it, dark magic? – entwined in the tooth, but there is also good or light magic. It just depends on how you use it. And experience. Learning what demands will generate which responses helps._

"Is it always a bad response? Dad said you have to pay a price for using it or something like that."

 _: There is always a price but it's not always a bad one. It just tends to be the opposite of what you ask for it. In a weird way, it helps keep a balance. It isn't exactly natural to be able to have your every desire at your paws, or fingers in your case. The price is a reminder of that._

"So, is it like a wishing tooth?"

 _: In a way, yes. But you don't make wishes. It won't work if you don't make an assertive demand._

"Can I demand for anything?"

 _: There are rules and limitations, as there is with anything._

"Harry," Severus returned to the bedroom with a plate and bowl of grilled cheese and tomato soup, along with a cup of orange juice. Harry sat up in his bed and Severus placed everything around him. "You don't have to eat everything if you don't think you can handle it but try to eat as much as you can. Then straight to bed."

After eating as much as he could tolerate, Harry fell asleep quickly in his bed. His dreams were snake free and his fever had dropped, making him more comfortable under the warm blankets. He woke up later to raised voices, though he couldn't exactly make out what was being said until he was fully awake and alert. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, looking at his closed door. He could hear his father and Sam talking in the living room, and they didn't exactly sound happy. Harry frowned, straining his ears to pick up exact words through his thick wooden door and stone walls.

". . . without having to keep a constant eye . . . something like this happens . . . Harry . . ."

Harry perked up at hearing his name. Curious, he slid out of bed and inched his way closer to his door, pressing his ear against it. He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but when his name was mentioned, he wanted to hear a little more about what his father and Sam were talking about. Obviously, it had something to do with him.

 _: This was an accident . . . never happen if . . ._ Sam's voice came in and out of Harry's head, an odd feeling, though Harry knew Sam's mind was only so open because the fox wasn't aware he was listening.

Deciding to get a clearer audio, Harry slowly turned the doorknob, quietly opening his door. He slipped out into the hall and glided along the wall, staying hidden in the dark shadows. He paused just before the living room, staying hidden enough. He could see Sam pacing back and forth in front of his dog bed, and his father had his back turned to him. Severus seemed to be drinking a nightcap, one he was refilling.

"In my honest opinion, and I know you'll reject to this –" Severus began.

 _: Then why bother saying anything?_

"Let me finish," Severus snapped back. "Considering the events of today, I'd think you'd be more concerned in making sure an incident like this never happens again. And in my honest opinion, the best way of ensuring that is by getting rid of that tooth around your neck."

 _: That's your solution to anything dangerous, isn't it? Getting rid of it. Even with the value it still carries, it doesn't matter one damn bit. Let me just find the nearest bin and toss it in the trash._

"I don't understand you! You want to protect Harry, but you carry that dark object around your neck which has clearly put the boy in life-threatening danger, but you don't seem the slightest bit fazed by what happened with Harry. He could have –"

 _: Do not assume what you don't know!_ Sam barked angrily, white teeth flashing.

Harry took an unconscious step back. He had never really seen his father and Sam yell at each other in such a way. Did they do this occasionally? Often? Or was this the first? Severus moved, setting down the bottle of whatever it was he was drinking.

 _: I have never intentionally allowed Harry to put himself in danger,_ Sam snarled, circling around Severus slightly. _And when that child finds himself in the worst imaginable trouble, I swear I gain a hundred years on my life! He might be your son, but he is very much like a kit of my own, and I'll be damned if you accuse me of not caring for what happens to him._

"Then why not take some measures to make sure this never happens again?"

 _: I can't just get rid of something valuable to me. Despite what dangers it can offer, if I keep it with me at all times, Harry will never have to deal with its magic again. I can tell him more about it, teach him its origin and –_

"Tell him how you obtained it, perhaps?" Severus threw back the small shot glass, swallowing its contents and setting the glass down. "Won't that be an exciting story for a twelve-year-old."

Harry frowned. Sam refused to tell him where he had gotten his necklace, but it seemed Severus knew very well where it came from and how Sam had gotten his hands, or paws as Sam had said earlier, on it. Why would Sam tell Severus and not him? Was there something wrong with how Sam had obtained the necklace? What was the fox hiding? Harry leaned forward slightly.

 _: Stop turning this around on me!_ Sam lunged forward, stopping just before Severus, fur bristled and ears flattened. Severus didn't even flinch, though Harry did.

"If I were you, I wouldn't say a bloody word about where that necklace came from to Harry. He respects and looks up to you –"

 _: You seem to be able to look past one mistake._

"I'm not a twelve-year-old boy and I don't want you sharing that story with him."

 _: And leave him in the dark?_

"I'd rather he be left in the dark."

 _: Is that how you plan to protect him from the horrors of the world? Leaving him in the dark?_

"He's my son and I know what's best for him and he is not – "

 _: You shelter him too much! I'm sure there's a line between –"_

Severus and Sam were both talking at the same time now and Harry couldn't tell what exactly was being said anymore. But the two were getting louder and it was an unsettling sight. Deciding it would be worth getting in trouble for, Harry stepped out of the shadows and loudly cleared his throat. Severus and Sam both froze and turned to look at Harry. They stepped away from each other and seemed to calm down instantly.

"Are you guys okay?" Harry asked.

"We're fine, son. Just talking," Severus said.

"Loudly."

"Right. We're okay now. We'll quiet down. Go back to bed."

Harry looked at his father's tired face and Sam's small smile before turning back to his bedroom, closing his door and jumping back into bed. He was surprised his father let his eavesdropping go, but then again, Severus May have thought he had just come out of his room. He wasn't sure if the two spoke at all after he went back to his room. If they did, they were quiet, because Harry heard nothing and fell back to sleep.

* * *

Remember to review! I promise to work on my many other stories as well, I just need the right inspiration for some of them.


	17. Interrogation

Enjoy this next chapter! I had fun writing it. And thanks to all the great reviews!

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Fred said, holding up a hand to stop Harry mid-sentence, "Sam has an awesome necklace that can give you whatever you want by just asking for it?"

"Well," Harry said, "you have to be assertive and all, but pretty much."

"And no one is allowed to touch it?"

"Yep."

"And he won't tell you how he found it?"

"Right."

"And there's no way Sam will ever let us even borrow it?"

"It doesn't matter how many times you ask, that will always be a no."

"So," Fred frowned, looking at George who crossed his arms and shrugged, "what did you need us for?"

"You guys are good at getting Sam talking," Harry explained, "especially about pranks. I was hoping you might be able to get him talking about the necklace."

"Hmm," George tapped his chin as he walked around Harry and Ron, as if looking over them critically. Harry gave Ron a questioning look which Ron returned.

A week had passed since Harry had touched the necklace and been bitten by the snake. A long, boring week without his Ivanhoe book. At least his grades remained consistent and he was able to focus in class. Harry had actually tried to find a copy of Ivanhoe in the library, but when his father realized what he was up to, he had Madam Pince ban Harry from the Muggle Fiction section of the library. That led to an argument between himself and his father, which ended with Harry being banned from any fiction in the library. He had such a git of a father. After giving up on finding a new book, Harry had pestered Sam about the necklace for two days straight, but only received warnings to drop the subject. When he started up again the third day, Sam had literally nipped him in the bud. He had such a git of a friend, too. And this was how he found himself looking for the twins help.

Ron and Harry looked back at George, who had finished a full circle and stood next to Fred. "I don't know, Fred. What's in it for us?"

"Good point. What do we get out of this?"

"Err," Harry looked around as if something in the hall might give him an answer, "what do you want?"

"Hmm," Fred and George smirked at each other, nodded their heads in agreement, and looked back at Harry. "Your invisibility cloak," Fred said, "the one from James Potter. For a full twenty-four hours."

"Well," Harry thought about the cloak locked away in his father's room somewhere. "Are you sure you don't want something else? I mean, I would have to search for it and all, and sneak it out of my Dad's room. I'm grounded from it, remember? And if I go looking for it and Dad catches me, I'll be in for it, for sure."

"You were grounded from it before summer," George reminded.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "but its one of those "grounded until mature enough to use responsibly" kind of grounding."

"I see." George looked at Fred, they smirked once more, then looked back at Harry. "You give us the password to your father's quarters and will snatch it for you."

"Are you kidding me? Dad will obviously know I gave you the password!"

The password was a simple wand tap pattern on the doorknob, known only by a chosen few, including Sirius and Remus. The door otherwise opened to Harry, Severus, and Sam's touch, Sam being able to use a nose or hand, depending on his form. But to give that password to the twins to sneak into their quarters and steal from his father's room – was it really worth risking just for information on the necklace?

"Then I guess we're out," Fred decided.

"No, wait. I guess it wouldn't hurt and if you guys are careful, maybe he'll never notice it gone and . . ."

"So is that a deal?" Fred asked, motioning Harry to make a decision quickly with his hand. "Our offer expires in 3 . . . 2 . . ."

"Okay, okay," Harry said. "Deal. The password to my quarters and the cloak for twenty-four hours in exchange for information from Sam on the necklace. You guys better not take anything else or wreck my dad's rooms or anything."

"It'll be fine," the twins smiled. "Trust us."

"Are you sure about this?" Ron asked Harry. "How do you even expect them to get information from Sam when even you couldn't?"

"We have our ways, little Ronnykins," Fred said, ruffling his little brother's hair.

"You know what it sounds like we need to do?" George asked, looking at his twin.

"I know exactly what we need to do," Fred smiled.

"What are you guys thinking?" Ron asked, a worried look on his face.

"We need to interrogate this fox," Fred said, "the hard way."

"Oh boy," Harry said aloud. "Are you sure that's the way to go about it? I don't think Sam is one to crack, especially not for kids."

"We're not kids," George argued. "You're kids. We're teens. And you're forgetting, we're experts at this."

"And you're forgetting," Harry fired back, "Sam is over three hundred years old. Don't you think he'd have a little expertise in interrogations?"

"Harry has a point," Fred nodded in consideration. "But it's either give this a shot or try and stroke his ego until he shares the information willingly, but I feel like you've already tried that and we'd like to avoid his teeth."

Harry blushed at that, regretting having shared that tidbit of information.

"Besides," George added, "Sam isn't an easy one to get info out of. Maybe a little good cop, bad cop?" George looked at Fred.

"I was thinking bad cop, bad cop," Fred said.

"How do we plan on catching the fox?"

"We've got the potions. And the rope."

"And the perfect location to interrogate."

"You guys," Harry shook his head, a big grin on his face, "are really bad."

"Thanks," they said simultaneously.

Harry and Ron followed the twins to a small room on the second floor. It looked like it had once been a closet, but it was all cleared out save for several recognizable Weasley products. Floating candles were lit for light, and Harry smiled at the Weasley claimed space, admiring the shelves of potions and powders, joke products and sweets, ropes and tools, and much more. Harry looked back at the twins, who were busy moving a chair to the center of the closet. Then, the boys gathered a rag, potion, and rope, drenching the rag in whatever potion was in that vial, leaving the rope on the chair.

"What's that?" Harry couldn't help but ask, pointing at the rag.

"Sleeping draught," Fred answered, "when drank, it makes you fall into an instant deep but temporary sleep."

"But when smelled," George added, "it instantly but temporarily knocks you out. We'll probably only have minutes when we get this on Sam."

"It's like chloroform," Harry concluded.

"Like what?" the twins asked simultaneously, raising eyebrows.

"Never mind." Harry hoped he didn't just give the boys something new to look into and potentially start using. "How do you plan on getting Sam to smell it?"

"He is a fox, you know," Ron spoke up, "he'll probably catch the slightest whiff of it a mile away and avoid it."

"And he's Sam," Harry added. "He won't exactly be easy to take down if we try to force it on him."

"You'll see," Fred said, "George will stay here with the ropes ready. You two will come with me to find Sam."

"I could just bring Sam to us," Harry said. "He comes when I call out for him with my mind. I think he's in human form today because he wanted to practice some techniques he hadn't done in years or something like that."

"Well, that makes this a lot easier," George smiled. "Could you imagine trying to catch him if he was a fox? He'd slip right out of our hands and everything."

"Great!" Fred exclaimed, holding out the rag. "Bring him here, Harry, and us three will distract him and drug him! George, be ready with the ropes."

"You got it, brother."

 _Sam_ , Harry thought, _I need your help. I'm on the second floor, in the corridor past Ghost Girl's bathroom._ Harry used the name Sam called Moaning Myrtle.

Harry and Ron followed the twins out the closet and sat in the hall for a few minutes, Fred playing around with some parchment while Harry and Ron whispered to each other, debating how this plan was really going to work out. Harry hoped the twins could help cure his curiosity, so he could move on and forget about the stupid necklace. But at the moment, the necklace was all he could think about when he wasn't in classes or working on homework, though even then it was still a small spark in the back of his head. What was so terrible about it. Ron came up with a theory that Sam broke it right out of a dragon's mouth. Draco was convinced the tooth actually belonged to Grindelwald and Sam had stolen it, and one day, the dark wizard would come back and fight Sam for the tooth back. Hermione didn't care and told them all that it was none of their business. Harry didn't know what to think.

"You called?"

Everyone turned their heads and looked directly at Sam, who was in human form wearing pants and a tee, and staring down at them, a curious look on his face and his ears perked up in his hair.

"Hey, Sam," Harry greeted, then faltered. What was he supposed to say now? He had said he needed Sam's help but with what exactly? It wasn't like he had his homework or anything to use as a distraction.

"We created a new potion," Fred said, holding up the rag. "We need testers though."

"I am not testing anything you've created," Sam said, narrowing his eyes at Fred then at Harry. "Is this why you called me up here?"

"Kind of," Harry said. "You just need to sniff it and tell us if it smells like your favorite food. It's . . . supposed to be able to make your brain think it smells your favorite food."

"Nifty," Sam commented dryly. "I'm not smelling it."

"Oh, come on, Sam," Fred stepped closer to the fox, holding up the rag to Sam's nose, who stepped back, pulling his head away. "For us? We have an idea for the perfect "quiet your growling stomach in class" solution, but we need to make sure it works. And everyone knows you love food the most here at Hogwarts. You'll probably smell the most food and that will let us know sooner than trying it on twenty random students."

"You are out of your mind if you think I'm trying something of yours," Sam swatted Fred's hand away before frowning and pointing at Fred. "Wait a second, isn't there usually two of you?"

"You should have realized that sooner," Fred said, and just as the last word left his mouth, George jumped on Sam from behind, holding another rag to his nose. Sam's eyes widened, and his hands flew to grab at George's wrists to yank the away, but before he could, his eyes closed, and he fell. George and Fred supported him before he hit the floor.

"And that, trainees," George said to Ron and Harry, "is how you catch a kitsune."

"You two had that planned all along!" Ron frowned at his brothers.

"Of course. You didn't think we'd tell you the whole plan and have one of you ruin it on us, did you?" George clicked his tongue. "That's just not how Gred and Forge work."

Fred and George lifted Sam by his legs and shoulders and carried him into the closet, Harry and Ron worriedly following. Sam had gone down pretty quickly. Harry hoped the potion didn't have any adverse reactions on the kitsune. He watched as the twins sat Sam in the chair and tied his wrists together in the back before wrapping rope around Sam and the chair and tying a tight knot in the back. They stood back and waited.

"That's going to hold him, right?" Ron asked.

"Of course," Fred assured his younger brother, ruffling Ron's hair. "Have some faith in us."

After another minute, Sam groaned and blinked. He pulled against his restraints, realizing his situation. He growled under his breath, fighting to free his hands. Pausing in his efforts, his eyes snapped to the twins and he glared at them.

"What is the meaning of this?" he growled, his sharp canine teeth flashing. "Untie me!"

"We'll untie you when you start talking!" Fred said, putting on his most intimidating voice. Sam raised his eyebrows, looking more amused than anything else.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"What are you up to?" Fred returned. "What's up with that necklace around your neck?"

"The necklace?" Sam looked down at the dragon tooth before his eyes fell on Harry. "Is that what this is about? Did you put them up to this?"

"I just want to know about the tooth," Harry said. "Honestly. But you won't tell me anything."

"With good reason. Your father will be highly displeased to hear the lengths you are taking just to hear the silly story about the tooth."

"You don't have to tell him. I just want to know why you can't tell me. It can't be that bad."

"I'm respecting your father's wishes, now you four, untie me now and I might let you all off with a warning."

"Untie you or what?" George challenged. "You are at our mercy! We know your weakness."

Fred held up a bottle of firewhiskey, bringing it close to Sam, who visibly leaned back in the chair, pulling his head away. Sam glared at Fred, his ears flat against his head, "You wouldn't dare."

"Yeah, you're right, we wouldn't," Fred said, tossing the bottle aside, letting it crash and splatter in a far corner of the closet, George creating a barrier over it so it didn't splatter far. "We like you too much for that."

Sam gave the twins a weird look, and Harry wasn't sure he was following the twins' tactics either. They seemed to be playing around more than anything else. And they just wasted a full bottle of firewhiskey. Where did they even get firewhiskey? Perhaps they were just having their fun before getting to the real interrogation mode.

"You've never interrogated anyone in your life, have you?" Sam questioned.

"Well, we have," Fred began.

"But our victims tend to crack as soon as we touch them," George added.

"Especially since they're mostly young students."

"But we'll find ways of making you talk, foxy."

"We'll start simple: can you please tell us about where you got the necklace? Pretty please?"

Sam looked between the two boys, glancing at Harry and Ron, then back at the twins. He tilted his head, frowning at the twins. Harry wondered why Sam seemed so calm all of a sudden, and why he was no longer trying break free of the restraints.

"No," Sam finally said.

"Okay," Fred sighed. "Looks like we'll have to bring out the big guns, George."

"I hate to do this," George shook his head, "but you leave us no choice, Sam."

Sam watched warily as the twins searched the shelves for something, Harry and Ron watching as well. Fred found what they were looking for and nodded to George and the turned back to Sam, hiding whatever the object was behind their back.

"You know, Sam, I've always liked you," Fred said, "you remind us of ourselves: your personality, you're a prankster, your Weasley red hair."

"I think his red is darker than ours," Ron commented.

"It's close enough," Fred continued, stepping closer to Sam. "I like your hair; it defies gravity and sticks up. I guess that's useful when you want to hide your ears."

"A shame it would be if anything happened to your hair," George added, leaning casually against Sam's chair.

Sam's eyes widened, and he swung his head back and forth between the two, looking at their hands. Harry and Ron also realized what the twins must have grabbed, and Harry wondered if he should intervene and call the whole deal off.

"If either of you touch my hair . . ." Sam trailed off, giving the two a warning look.

"Then you better start talking, or we'll give that hair a much-needed trim!" Fred threatened, holding up a pair of scissors for Sam to see, snipping them a couple times in the air. "So speak, fox. Where did you get that necklace?"

Sam's warning look turned into an unamused look and his eyes narrowed.

Ten minutes later, Harry found himself on the floor, his wrists tied behind his back by rope, himself tied to the twins and Ron in a circle back to back with a larger piece of rope, and his own sock shoved into his mouth, his shoe tossed to the side with three other shoes. How Sam had moved so quickly was beyond him, but he did realize his mistake: they had forgotten to disarm the fox after tying him up.

In human form, Sam kept his tanto knife in a satchel tied to a belt loop. And Sam had managed to sneakily remove his knife and cut himself free while the twins failed to interrogate him. He had jumped to his feet, tied up the twins' wrists first, then Harry's and Ron's, forced everyone to sit and tied them all together, then took his time to remove a shoe, pull off a sock, and shove it into the respective person's mouth. And unluckily for the boys, due to the autumn season, they were all wearing thick wool socks that filled up every bit of space in their mouths. And then, just like that, Sam had left the closet, leaving the boys stuck tied together with socks shoved in their mouths. The twins had tried to pull away in an attempt to loosen the rope to free themselves, even wriggling their wrists, but to no avail.

Harry had been too focused on trying not to salivate. The sock in his mouth, even if they were clean that morning, tasted like dirty feet and it was making his mouth feel dry. He had tried to spit it out but he couldn't pull in enough air through his nose to spit it out. Nor did he think he could. He would probably have to salivate more to moisten the sock and smush it down in his mouth to spit it out. And that was something he didn't want to do. The taste was revolting enough. And so the ten minutes had passed with the boys sitting on the floor, stuck together, trying different ways to break free, the twins mumbling muffled words to each other.

Then, the door to the closet opened, and Hermione stepped in, pausing in front of the boys.

"Sam told me I'd find you all in here," she said. "What happened?"

Harry grunted out a noise to indicate the sock in his mouth. Hermione frowned, knealing in front of Harry. She pulled out her wand and levitated the sock out. "Eww," she said, letting the sock fall to the floor. Harry spat bitterly, grimacing, glad to be free of his own revolting sock. Ron mumbled over his sock and Hermione did the same for him, her face contorting into one of disgust.

"Pleh!" George spat, propelling the sock in his mouth out and to the floor. "Finally. That took forever."

Fred spat his sock out next, spitting, then grinned at his brother.

"We have got to make a sock flavored candy!" he smiled.

"I was thinking the same thing. Whose sock should we use, yours or mine?"

"We'll have to figure out which taste worst!"

"Really, guys?" Hermione's face was green now.

"Hermione!" they exclaimed as if they were just seeing her. "Care to free us?"

"I should really leave you here," she said, crossing her arms. "What happened?"

"We were trying to interrogate Sam," Harry said, "about his necklace, but it didn't work. He got free."

"Someone," Fred said loudly, looking over his shoulder at Harry, "forgot to tell us to remove the knife."

"Someone," Harry returned, glaring at Fred's back, "forgot he had it."

"We'll take that password now, Harry," George said, "and we should get forty-eight hours for this."

"You're not getting anything! I remember the deal was the cloak in exchange for information on Sam's tooth. You didn't get anything out of him."

"He was a tough nut to crack. You should at least give us twelve hours for effort."

Harry glare deepened. The deal was definitely off. Hermione rolled her eyes and flicked her wand, loosening the rope and pulling it off them. As everyone stood, she began untying the ropes around their wrists. When Harry was free, he made a disgusted face at his sock and decided just to go sock less until he got back to his dorm.

"What were you all thinking?" she scolded. "Interrogating Sam? You guys are crazy! Madam Pomfrey should check your heads for infectious insanity. I don't want to catch it next."

"At least we know what doesn't work with Sam," Fred muttered, rubbing his wrists. "And he gave us an awesome idea." Fred elbowed George, waggling his eyebrows. George grinned. We should get right to work. Everyone not a twin, out!"

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were pushed out of the closet, the door locking behind them. Hermione rolled her eyes again then glared at Ron and Harry.

"If you guys ever get into something like that again," she threatened, "I'll leave you there all night."

"Understood," Harry and Ron said.

* * *

Later that same day, after finding a fresh sock to put on, Harry decided to pay his father a visit. He hadn't seen his father since his argument over the library books, and he wanted to end his week on good terms with him. Besides, he felt guilty for ignoring his own dad. He could never outlast his father in the silent treatment.

"Hey Dad," Harry greeted as he entered their quarters, immediately spotting his father on the sofa.

"Son," Severus returned, setting aside a book he was reading. "How was your day?"

"It was okay," Harry said, heading for his room to put his bag down.

"Just okay?"

"Yeah, nothing exciting happened, really. Just worked on homework in the library with Hermione, Draco, and Ron." Which was true. Draco had been very entertained about what had occurred in the twins' closet though.

"So what's this I hear about kidnaping Sam and interrogating him?"

Harry froze, his heart skipping a beat. Sam told on him? Even after he had thoroughly punished the four of them with the rope and sock thing? Harry gulped and turned around to see his father giving him a stern look.

"That's what I thought." Severus pointed to the chair across from him. "Sit."

Harry set his bag down in the hall leading to the bedrooms and slowly walked to the chair to sit down. He looked down at his feet, biting his lip as he wondered how much Sam told his father. Maybe Severus didn't know about the tooth being the point of the interrogation? Wishful thinking.

"I want the truth from you, young man," Severus said, drumming his fingers on the arm of the couch. "What exactly happened this afternoon with Sam and the Weasleys'?"

"Well, it was just a joke," Harry said, hoping Severus didn't know about the tooth. "It was going to be a prank and that was all, but I think we took it too far."

"Took it too far?" Severus raised a eyebrow. "I heard you drugged him."

"We didn't drug him!"

"You used a rag to cover his nose and he passed out. What do you call that?"

"It was just a Sleeping Draught. It only knocked him out for a few minutes."

"Because that makes it all the better. And then threatening him with his life?"

"What? We never did that."

"No? I guess I was mistaken when I thought alcohol could have devastating effects on kitsune. Perhaps you were merely offering him a drink."

"Oh. I didn't know the twins had firewhiskey. I would have said no to that if I knew they were going to bring that out. I'd never threaten Sam's life like that, you've got to believe me."

"I believe you," Severus said in a softer tone, "but you did nothing to stop the twins. What was this interrogation about that they would go to such great lengths to get answers?"

"Nothing important. It was just a prank."

"A prank, maybe. But you had a clear intention in mind. Obviously, you had some kind of goal in mind. And I think I might know what that could have been." Severus's eyes darkened considerably. Harry swallowed. "Even after I said to let it go, you disobeyed me. And then you have the audacity to lie to me repeatedly. With a prank that could have ended Sam's life, nonetheless. I think I know what your goal was."

Harry looked down at his hands intertwined in his lap, trying to ignore how sweaty they were starting to feel. Why couldn't his dad just ground him and be done with it? Clearly Severus had put all the pieces together. Why did he have to make him feel so bad about it?

"Here's what I think your goal was," Severus leaned forward slightly, glaring at his son. "You wanted to get revenge on Sam."

Harry's head shot up and he blinked at his father, frowning.

"After the incident with the black mamba, even though it was your fault, you thought you could make Sam pay for his tooth causing you pain. So you drugged him, tied him up so he was helpless, just like you were that day, and then threatened to use firewhiskey on him. And even shave his hair! You wanted revenge."

"That's not what I wanted!" Harry snapped, hating that his father would think of him doing such a thing. "No, I just wanted to learn about the tooth, honest, Dad! And I'm really sorry, but I don't understand why you won't let him tell me the story. I just thought maybe the twins could help interrogate him and I guess they were a little overboard, but Sam got us back. But it wasn't for revenge, it was just for stupid information about that dumb tooth. I shouldn't have done it and I'm really sorry. I never meant to put Sam in any harm, and I feel awful now that I did." Harry took a deep breath, calming himself down a bit. Now he really did feel awful. What if the alcohol had splattered more when the twins had tossed it aside and some had splashed on Sam? That would have been terrible! Or if Sam had had a bad reaction to the Sleeping Draught? Harry fought back a tear and peered up at his father through his fringe. "I am sorry. Don't be mad."

Severus glared at him and then Sam jumped up from behind the couch, leaning on the back of the cushions, smirking at Harry.

"And that," Sam said, "is how you interrogate someone."

Harry blinked, looking from Sam to his father to see the man smirking as well.

"You –" Harry spluttered, too shocked to think coherently.

"Yes, I," Severus agreed, his smirk turning into an amused grin, "I just helped Sam with payback."

"Payback's a . . ." Sam stopped himself, clearing his throat, "well, you know the saying."

"I don't believe this," Harry shook his head. "My own dad and best friend."

"Yeah, well," Sam jumped over the couch, plopping down on the cushion next to Severus, "you kidnapped your "best friend," so this is all fair."

"I am sorry, Sam," Harry told the kitsune. "I didn't think the twins would get a bit carried away."

"When do they not?" Sam questioned, flicking his ears at Harry, making the boy smile. "And I forgive you. It was nothing I couldn't handle. And be glad you're father isn't beating in some common sense into you. I've managed to talk him out of it."

"Thanks and I am sorry. But having my own sock in my mouth was revolting! The twins are working on a sock flavored candy now."

Sam sighed in exasperation, looking at Severus and saying, "Some kids just don't learn."

"Oh they learn," Severus said, "just not what you want them to." Severus looked at Harry now. "And I hope this was a good lesson for you as far as pushing for information on that necklace. If I hear any more about it, you and I will have a discussion you won't enjoy, do I make myself clear? It is none of your business and not something you should concern yourself with."

"Yes, Dad. And are you sure you're okay, Sam?"

"Perfectly fine. I've had worse interrogations in my life. Besides, the firewhiskey the twins had was only fourteen percent. The worst it would have done was cause a rash. But if you ever interrogate me in such a manner again, I won't be stopping your father from taking a ruler to you."

"Yes, Sam."

"Now that our interrogation is over, how else was your day, son? Was it really so dull?"

"Well, kidnapping Sam had been fun," Harry smiled, looking at Sam cheekily. Sam sent the boy a mock glare, flattening his ears even.

"I'm sure," Severus smiled. "what assignments did you work on with your friends?"

"Just Transfiguration, mostly. Hermione insisted we at least talk about Herbology. Draco just wanted to finish his chest game with Ron. Do you know they've been at it for three days?"

"True strategists at work," Severus commented, "How about you and I have a game?"

"You'll win. Ron's beat me five times in one day before."

"You've improved. I'll set up the board."

"I'll get snacks."

"Of course, you will."

Harry rolled his eyes at his father's sarcastic remark and left for the kitchen.

"I'll help him," Sam said, jumping off the couch and following Harry to the kitchen. Sam sniffed around before jumping up and grabbing a bag of beef jerky from a top shelf. Harry smiled at him.

"I sometimes think that you forget that you're in human form sometimes," Harry commented. "You jump around and sniff for things and even scratch at your ear as if you were still a fox."

"I do not," Sam said, using his hand to scratch his ear in the same manner a paw would. Harry laughed, and Sam frowned. "Bad example. Catch. I'm going to shift back."

Sam threw the bag of beef jerky at Harry and left the kitchen. Harry set the bag on a tea tray and gathered the necessary items for tea: sugar, honey, cream (which only he and Sam used). A hot teapot appeared on the tray, courtesy of a house elf, along with chocolate biscuits. Harry quickly popped one in his mouth, knowing his father would tell him how many he could have once he sat down in the living room. He chewed and swallowed as he carried the tray out to the living room.

"Here, Dad," Harry poured his father a cup of tea, adding a teaspoon of sugar and just a few drops of honey, just how his father liked plain tea.

"Thank you," Severus finished setting up the chess board while Harry poured his own tea and tea in a bowl with extra cream, honey, and sugar. He also piled beef jerky on a plate. He both bowl and plate on the floor for Sam and sat down across from his father, eyeing the biscuits pointedly.

"You may have two," Severus said.

Harry smiled and picked up one, taking a savoring bite, the chocolate melting in his mouth and on his fingers.

"And don't think I don't know that you snuck one while out in the kitchen," Severus suddenly said, nearly making Harry choke.

"How did you know?" Harry asked, his eyes wide.

"I didn't," Severus smirked at his son. He winked at Harry as he said, "But I do now."

"You are good at interrogating," Harry grumbled, earning a hair ruffle from his father.

* * *

Hope you liked it!


	18. Breaking Bonds

Enjoy this next chapter! And thank you all for the wonderful reviews!

* * *

After finishing up an assignment for class, Harry realized it was almost curfew and he was still in his father's quarters. He might as well as spend the night in his room there as he'd never make it upstairs to the tower before curfew. He organized his work on his desk and prepared himself for bed.

 _: Off to bed so soon?_ Sam questioned, stepping into the room.

"Yeah, I'm really tired," Harry said, stretching as he sat down on his bed. "Probably from you tying me up to the twins!"

 _: I can't imagine what being tied up to those two must be like,_ Sam smiled slyly, ignoring Harry's glare. _I'm off to hunt. Stay out of trouble, will you?_

"Don't start sounding like Dad."

"Excuse me?" Severus said, coming into the bedroom. "And what exactly do I sound like?"

"Like . . ." Harry offered an innocent smile, "the most caring, loving father in the world."

 _: Nice save_ , Sam commented before misting away. Severus merely rolled his eyes.

"I'm tired," Harry said, laying down, "so I think I'll go to bed early tonight."

"What a surprise," Severus said, sitting on the edge of Harry's bed, "I didn't even have to tell you repeatedly to get in bed. Are you feeling all right?" Severus felt Harry's head and cheeks. "Fever? Nausea? Something you're not telling me?"

"Dad, I'm fine!" Harry smiled. "I feel fine, I'm just tired."

"Okay," Severus smiled, then frowned. "Before you go to sleep, there's something I want to tell you concerning what happened today." Harry sat up in his bed slightly as his father kept talking. "I am still very disappointed in your actions, you and the Weasley boys, but more so that you did nothing to stop the twins when you knew they were taking it a bit too far."

"They would never hurt Sam, though," Harry argued. "They made sure of it. They were just trying to . . ."

"I'm sure they had no ill intentions. But that doesn't negate the fact that they could have hurt Sam. And that you would have allowed it."

Harry looked down, unable to deny what his father was saying.

"I'd like to tell you a story of when I was in Hogwarts," Severus adjusted himself on Harry's bed so he was sitting next to his son, "When your uncles and I became better friends. We were in fifth year. We weren't exactly the best of friends at the time, more like acquaintances. I'd sometimes study with Remus in the library or help with a prank now and then, but we'd usually end up trying to pull something on each other. However, James and Sirius took it a bit too far one day . . ."

" _Put that away, will you?" Sirius said, and James made a fine catch of the snitch he had stolen and was playing with, Peter Pettigrew letting out a cheer, "before Wormtail wets himself with excitement."_

 _Peter turned slightly pink, but James grinned and stuffed the snitch away, saying, "If it bothers you."_

 _The four Marauders were outside sitting in the grass, under the shade of a tree. They had just finished an OWL exam._

 _"I'm bored," Sirius said. "Wish it was the full moon."_

 _"You might," Remus said darkly from behind the book he was reading. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored, you can test me. Here." He held the book out._

 _"I don't need to look at that rubbish," Sirius snorted, "I know it all."_

 _"Then what do you want to do?" James said as Remus turned back to his book._

 _"Hmm," Sirius looked around, "not sure."_

 _"Look who it is, Padfoot," James said, nodding off in some direction._

 _Sirius turned his head and his eyes zeroed in on Severus, who was settled on the grass in the dense shadow of a clump of bushes. He was deeply immersed in his OWL paper, a slight frown on his face, completely oblivious of the predatory eyes watching him. Sirius's eyes seemed to light up and a smirk grew across his face._

 _"What say we pull a little prank on Snape," James said softly, winking at Sirius. "It's been a while since we've had any kind of prank war."_

 _"I think that's an excellent idea," Sirius agreed, standing with James and walking over to Severus. Peter nor Remus moved, Remus engaged I his book, though a tight frown marked his face, and Peter watched on with anticipation. James and Sirius paused near Severus, who hadn't even looked up at them as they neared._

 _"All right, Severus?" James said loudly to get the teen's attention._

 _"What do you two want?" Severus said, not even bothering to look up at them._

 _"Just wondering how the exam went," James smiled._

 _"I was watching him," Sirius began to joke, "his nose was touching the parchment. There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."_

 _Severus narrowed his eyes and lifted his wand, and, still not looking up, sent a harmless stinging hex Sirius's way, the hex striking Sirius's leg. He yelped and backed up a step, rubbing at where he'd been hit, glaring at Severus while James smirked._

 _"If all you want is to insult me, I suggest you do it elsewhere and not in my presence," Severus warned._

 _"Oh, is that a threat?" James raised his eyebrows._

 _"Look, I need to study for transfiguration . . ."_

 _"What's there for you to study, kitty cat?" Sirius asked. "Obviously, you understand the subject well enough to do more than these other absentminded students."_

 _"There's more to transfiguration than just what it takes to become an animagus, you know. And speaking of that, have any of you registered yourselves, yet?"_

 _"Well . . ." James rubbed the back of his neck._

 _"What's it to you? Are you going to snitch on us?" Sirius questioned._

 _"Perhaps I should," Severus said, shoving his paper into his bag and standing up._

 _"You know what they say," Sirius called to him as Severus walked away. "Snitches get thrown into ditches."_

 _"You'd have to catch the snitch first," Severus retorted._

 _James pulled out his wand and flicked it at Severus, "Scourgify!"_

 _Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag and choke._

 _"You can't snitch if you can't speak," James said._

 _Severus spun on his feet and pointed his wand at James, ready to throw a jinx back their way, but Sirius quickly said, "Expelliarmus!" Severus's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him._

" _Funny, guys," Severus said coldly. He had managed to spit out the majority of the soap suds and glared at Sirius and James, turning to grab his wand. Before he could touch it, there was a flash of white and Severus found himself hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny pallid legs and a pair of greying underwear. Sirius and James started roaring with laughter as a crowd started to gather and laugh as well, Peter snickering. Severus's face reddened, and he glared at the two boys._

" _This isn't funny, put me down!"_

 _No one listened, just kept laughing. And then a bright blast struck James shoulder, his wand jerking, causing the spell on Severus to end. Severus fell into a crumpled heap on the ground, quickly disentangling himself from his robes. Everyone looked to Remus, who was moving to stand in front of Severus, his wand up and pointed at James and Sirius._

" _What's this, Moony?" James asked, frowning, rubbing his shoulder._

" _This has gone too far," Remus said._

" _We're just joking, Snape knows that," Sirius insisted._

" _And when does a joke stop being funny?" Remus said._

" _What happened here?" Lily came running over, her thick red hair flowing at her shoulders. She rushed over to Severus, who was still on the ground, and tried to help him, but he pulled away._

" _I'm fine," he snapped, still seething from the little "prank" James and Sirius pulled. "I don't need your help." Severus snatched his wand and stood, glaring at Remus as he said, "I don't need anyone's help."_

 _And with that, Severus stormed away._

" _Your welcome, Severus!" Remus called out to the man, though his tone sounded bitter._

" _Ah, Snape, it was just a joke!" James yelled, Sirius adding his agreement. "Come back!"_

" _Nice going, Potter!" Lily snapped. "What made you think that that would be okay? That that was a joke? You make me sick."_

" _We were just looking for some fun, Evans," James said._

" _Fun?" Lily looked like she might spit fire. "Fun? You call that fun? How would you feel if I did that to you? You've humiliated him. Some friend you are. You're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter, always showing off with that stupid snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can, just because you're the "chosen one." I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. I hope you can mature enough to apologize and make things right with Severus, but I won't be surprised if he refuses to forgive what you did."_

 _Lily turned on her heel and stormed away._

" _Evans!" James called._

" _She's right," Remus said. "You and Sirius need to apologize. It's the least you can do for what you did."_

 _James and Sirius looked at each other, shame for once crossing their faces._

 _Later that same day, Remus found Severus studying in the library. He sat down across from the other student and opened his book, deciding to just get right to work and study in silence. It felt a little awkward, and Remus found it hard to concentrate on his own book._

" _Thank you," Severus suddenly spoke after a few intense silent minutes, "for what you did back there."_

" _Of course," Remus said, glad to take care of the elephant in the room. "They were getting out of control, and it would have been wrong of me to just stand by and let it go on. I had to do something."_

 _Severus stared at him before looking back down at his book and saying, "You'd make a good friend."_

 _"Wait, does that mean we're not already friends and you'd like me to be one?" Remus frowned. "Or that we're not friends period? Or that we're acquaintances and we could be friends. Or that we're friends, and you were just making a statement about how I'd make a good friend to anyone in the school in general?"_

 _Severus blinked. "What?"_

 _"Never mind," Remus waved his hand dismissively. "I lost myself in that."_

 _"I guess," Severus began, "what I should have said is that you are a good friend. What you did was something a good friend would do."_

 _"From the mouth of Severus Snape," Remus shook his head, "hell must be freezing over."_

 _"Ha-ha," Severus commented dryly._

 _"Hey guys," James voice interrupted, Sirius offering a hello. Peter stood awkwardly off to the side._

 _Severus glared at them._

 _"We just wanted to say that we're sorry for what happened earlier," James said._

 _"Yeah, we're sorry," Sirius added, "we got a little carried away and it was wrong to treat you that way."_

 _"This won't happen again," James said, shaking his head. "We'll try to be fair in what we do from now on."_

 _"And less embarrassing things," Sirius added._

 _"So, are we cool?" James asked._

 _Remus looked at Severus, who looked as though he had chewed a lemon. Remus hoped Severus was able to let go of what had occurred and move on. He chewed his inner cheek as he waited for a response. Severus sighed, and his face seemed to soften as he looked down at his book and mumbled, "Fine. We're . . . cool."_

 _"Great! And as a token of our friendship, we shall douse you in pure water to declare you an honorary Gryffindor!" James quickly held up his wand and aimed a strong spray of water at Severus. Remus's eyes widened, but before the water touched Severus, the dark-haired teen flew up and sprayed James and Sirius with his own wand, then slowly flew back down, landing softly on his feet, his chair too soaked to sit down in._

 _"That's something I'll never agree to," Severus smirked._

 _James and Sirius stared open mouthed and wide eyed at Severus._

 _"You can fly?" James asked. "How . . . when . . . you have to teach me! The Chosen One must know how to fly!"_

"And we've been more like friends since," Severus ended his story.

"That was kind of mean of James and Uncle Sirius," Harry said.

"Yes, but they were young and foolish. I believe they've all matured quite well, don't you?"

"Did you teach James to fly?" Harry asked curiously.

"No," Severus frowned. "I was going to, but then James realized that it involved dark magic, so he decided against it, though I told him it was all about how one used the magic."

"Oh," Harry reflected on what his father had told him. "It was nice of Uncle Remus to stand up for you. Is that why you get along better with him than with Uncle Sirius?"

"Do you actually notice that?" Severus chuckled. "I do find it easier to talk more openly with Remus than Sirius, but I feel that Sirius and I have come a long way. Especially when you came along."

"I feel bad for not stepping in and stopping the twins," Harry studied the design on his blanket. "I thought about it, too, I just didn't do it. But Sam doesn't seem to care about what happened. I apologized, and he got us back anyway."

"That he did," Severus agreed, "but Sam isn't completely human and doesn't understand some social concepts, and considering what he's been through himself, your antics were child's play to him, and he saw through the twins' bluffs. Regardless, you knew what you should have done, and I do hope you step forward should anything happen in the future with any of your friends."

"Yes, Dad."

Severus kissed Harry's temple and said goodnight. Harry didn't fall asleep right away, his father's story still running through his head.

* * *

A few days later, Harry was up at the crack of dawn on the Quidditch field for practice. It was far too early in his opinion, but Oliver Wood didn't seem to think sleep was important. Only winning the Quidditch cup, and he gave the entire team a long speech that gave the sun enough time to sneak out, leaving a slight mist above the grass. When they left the locker room, Harry spotted Hermione and Ron. He frowned, wondering where Draco was. During practices, Draco would usually sit with Hermione and Ron, studying the game and plays the team performed or seemed to favor.

"You guys aren't done yet?" Ron asked.

"Barely started," Harry answered.

"And it looks like you've got more company," Hermione stated, looking off in the distance. Harry followed her gaze and spotted the problem. The entire Slytherin team had arrived, and the two captains seemed to be in a heated debate. Harry rolled his eyes and walked over to the situation, Ron and Hermione following.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked.

"Professor Snape gave us permission to use the field today to train our new seeker," Flint, Captain of the Slytherin team said.

"You've got a new seeker?" Wood asked. "Where?"

Draco stepped out from behind the six larger players, a smirk on his face.

"And," Flint continued, "let me show you the generous gift Draco's father made to the Slytherin team."

All seven of them held out the new broomsticks with the gold lettering Nimbus Two Thousand and One etched into them. Harry frowned, knowing that Uncle Lucius had bought Draco's spot on the team. Perks of being a rich man's son. Draco had wanted nothing more than to play on the team and he surely shared that information with his father. And thus, this was the result. No one on the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say, while Ron just gaped.

"Good, aren't they?" Draco smiled. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. I'm sure a museum will bid on those old Cleansweeps."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor Team had to buy their way in," Hermione said sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

"No one asked for your opinion, Granger," Draco snapped back.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Ron said.

"I'll do as I please," Draco said. "Now we need the field to practice so the team can train their new seeker."

"I booked this field for Gryffindors only," Wood interrupted.

"Dad knew the Gryffindors had the field today," Harry said to Draco as the two captains spoke. "He really signed a note allowing Slytherin team to play today?"

"Yeah," Draco answered. "I was there. He said we could either share the field or wait until the Gryffindor team is done."

"And you all decide to show off the new brooms?" Harry crossed his arms.

"Jealous?" Draco smirked. "I think your team should just let us take the field. No one on your team is new and inexperienced. I need all the practice time I can get."

"Well, Wood wants to start a new training program, so we should get the field and then you can have it."

"That doesn't seem fair. The first game is just a few weeks away, I need more time to practice."

"You and I," Hermione interluded, stepping forward, grabbing everyone's attention, "both know that you don't really need the practice – you played Quidditch quite well at Harry's sleepover. Obviously, you'll catch on quickly to whatever practice is done here, so why don't you tell your team to wait until the Gryffindor team is done and then take the field?"

"You going to allow that girl to talk to you like that?" someone on the Slytherin team said to Draco.

"Who does that girl think she is?" another Slytherin said.

"Is Drakey going to obey his mummy like a good little boy?" someone mocked, laughing.

"Better do what she says," grinned another, "we wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

"Is she your girlfriend, Draco? How romantic!" laughed another.

"Stop it!" Draco snapped at his team, his cheeks reddened from all the teasing. "I don't listen to filthy little mudbloods!"

As soon as the word left Draco's mouth, Draco slapped a hand over his mouth, inhaling sharply and staring wide eyed at Hermione.

"Draco!" Harry admonished.

"How dare you!" Ron yelled, and Flint had to dive in front of Draco to stop Fred and George jumping on him.

Hermione was silent, her eyes watering as she stared intently at Draco, who pulled away from Flint.

"Well," she began, her voice choked slightly, "it's good to know how you really feel about me."

And with that, she turned and stormed back to the school.

"Granger wait!" Draco called to her. "Granger!"

"Hermione!" Harry called as well, wanting to run after her and comfort her. But he wasn't sure if he should, if she would appreciate his presence at the moment.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron pulled out his wand and aimed it at Draco.

"I didn't mean . . ." Draco began, holding up his hands defensively, not even going for his own wand. Harry's hand twitched to slap the wand out of Ron's hand, but he resisted. Whatever Ron did, Draco more than deserved.

A jet of green light shot out of Ron's wand, striking Draco right in the face, sending him reeling backwards in the grass. The Slytherin team surrounded Draco, reaching to help him up when he leaned forward, balancing on all fours, and belched out several slugs into the grass.

A shrill whistle cut through the cold air.

"What is going on here!?" Severus's voice echoed through the stadium.

"Weasley hexed Draco!" Flint explained, glaring at Ron.

Severus kneeled by Draco, watching as the boy threw up more slugs. The man's eyes fell on Ron, who quickly lowered his wand, taking an unconscious step back.

"Detention, Mr. Weasley," Severus spat, "report to Professor McGonagall at once. I suggest you explain to her what happened, or I will and if I have to, the consequences will be . . . severe."

Ron didn't need to be told twice. He turned and ran for the castle. Harry watched as his father's eyes fell on him and he could feel his father's disappoint me radiate off him. Harry gulped as Severus finally looked away and helped Draco to his feet, summoning a bucket and leading Draco to the castle. Harry sighed and followed at a much slower pace.

Harry fell far behind his father's quick pace, and then took his time strolling to his father's quarters, as that had been the direction they were heading in. Harry moved slowly, recalling everything that had happened. He wondered if Hermione was okay, regretting that he didn't follow her to make sure. Ron now had detention, Draco was spewing slugs, and the twins seemed furious with Draco. What a mess he found himself in. Harry blinked back tears of frustration, hating that his eyes were watering when he was more angry than sad.

He finally arrived at his father's quarters and was about to enter when he heard voices.

"I really didn't mean to say it, Uncle," Draco was saying, "it just kind of came out."

"We've had a talk about that word before, young man," Severus said. "Do you need another lesson?"

"No," Draco said with a grimace in his voice, remembering a soap punishment. "I didn't want to call her that. Everyone was just poking fun at me and she was just acting like . . . well, herself, but I shouldn't have said it. I feel terrible. She'll never forgive me and now Harry's going to hate me!"

"He will not. And you need to apologize to Miss Granger. I suggest you find her and do that."

"She won't want to see me."

"You don't know that. How about this: write a letter of apology to her if its easier on you. But you will need to make a formal apology in person at some point."

"Yes, Uncle Sev."

There was silence for a few seconds and then the door opened, and Draco nearly ran right into Harry. Draco frowned.

"You eavesdropper!" Draco snapped. At least he wasn't vomiting slugs anymore.

"Shh!" Harry shushed, hoping his father hadn't heard. "Sorry, but you were talking kind of loud."

"Were not!"

"Were too! And you owe Hermione an apology! How could you say that to her?"

"I don't need to hear this from you," Draco grumbled, roughly shouldering past Harry and stomping away.

Harry frowned at Draco, rubbing his shoulder. He felt more overwhelming frustration and entered his father's quarters, slamming the door. And then a throat cleared loudly behind him. Harry cringed and slowly turned around to face his annoyed father standing behind him, arms crossed.

"Sorry," Harry quickly apologized.

"I understand that today has been upsetting," Severus said, "but slamming the door is unnecessary."

"I know," Harry moved into the living room and sat down on the couch, wrapping his arms around his knees and hiding his face. He heard his father sigh then felt the couch dip as Severus sat next to him.

"Am I a bad person?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean?" Severus frowned. "Of course not, son."

"I am. I had Sam kidnapped, I didn't go after Hermione when she was hurt, I let Ron hex Draco, Draco hates me now. I'm a terrible friend."

"No, you're not," Severus wrapped an arm around Harry, "you were stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's not easy being mediator when your friends turn on each other. You just didn't know what to do."

"But I could have done something! I could have stopped Ron from hexing Draco. I thought about it, but I didn't do it. Just like with Sam! I'll never be a good friend. I'm not like Uncle Remus."

"You're young, Harry. You, Ronald, and the twins, all of you are just young and when you try and act like you know everything, you do things that are . . ."

"Stupid?"

"Immature. That's what happened with Sam, and that's what happened on the field. You kids were trying to impress different groups of people, there was some teasing involved, and then someone got hurt. You acted as you all are – like kids. And with experience, you will learn how to better handle different situations. Today was a learning experience. That doesn't make you a bad person."

"You're my dad, you have to say that."

"Do not. You are not a bad person and I stand by that. Neither are your friends."

"Pretend you're not my dad. Then tell me I'm not a terrible friend."

"Do you want me to pretend to be Sam? Let's see, anata wa – err, happi yama umi ko."

Severus ruffled Harry's hair as he said that, and Harry smirked up at him and said, "I don't think that means what you think."

"Probably not. Let me try Uncle Sirius," Severus began tickling Harry as he said, "You are the best kid in the world! You are my partner in crime and my favorite godson! No one can say otherwise!"

Harry laughed, pushing his father's hands away.

"His only godson," he smiled. Then frowned, "But still, Dad, I should have done something outside."

"As I said, it's a lesson learned. You did nothing, now you know how it makes you feel. Next time, you will do something. I know you will. You learn well from your mistakes. Besides, it wasn't like your friends made it easy for you. They've all learned a lesson today. Whether they know it or not."

"Friendship is hard," Harry said, resting his head on Severus's shoulder.

"If it were easy, everyone would be friends with everyone. But that's just not how the world works."

Harry sighed, but didn't move, finding comfort in his father's one-armed embrace.

* * *

Translation: anata wa happi yama umi ko – you are happy mountain sea child ? Rough translation.

For this story, Hermione already knows what mudblood means. Hope you liked it.


	19. Conflicted

Wow! It's been so long since I could catch my breath. I have a full-time job now plus overtime and it's been killing me (but I love it). But I've missed writing my stories to share with all of you. Hope I can find more time again very soon. I'll do my very best! I think I'm figuring out a schedule as to when I can write, edit, and upload, so it shouldn't be too long. I work on each story as often as I can and this chapter I just managed to complete. Enjoy this next chapter.

* * *

 _Sam stalked through the night of the forest, following a worn game trail. The scent he was following was horse-like, perhaps a unicorn? He hoped it wasn't the herd of thestrals that lived in the forest. He didn't understand why those horse freaks hated him, but each time he ran into them, they'd give chase. Regardless, he continued on the trail. He had no intention of hunting either the thestrals or the unicorn, but game trails tended to be used by all animals in a forest, and he hoped he'd run into a potential breakfast. His stomach growled at the thought of a crisp rabbit or squirrel._

 _He neared a clearing when his nose twitched at a familiar scent – Harry's. Frowning, he immediately changed his direction, following Harry's scent into the large meadow deep in the forest. He spotted the boy sitting cross-legged on a rock, his head buried in his hands. Snarling, Sam trotted over to the troublemaker, his tails flicking angrily._

: What are doing here? _Sam snapped, his ears flat on his head._ You know you are not allowed to be in the Forbidden Forest!

 _Harry slowly lifted his head, revealing glowing blue eyes. Sam drew in a sharp gasp as he stepped back hesitantly. He felt warmth on is neck and looked down to see the tooth on his necklace glowing the same color blue. A thick fog settled in the meadow, obscuring the surrounding forest. Sam's fur prickled as Harry slowly stood up on the rock, his actions trance like. Sam took another step back as the fog engulfing them morphed into a hideous serpent monster that lunged at Harry, swallowing the boy whole._

 _: Ahh!_ Sam's head shot up and he breathed heavily, his heart slowing down from the nightmare he had. He looked down at his necklace, its glowing blue color reflecting in his eyes. He looked around the room, sounds from the kitchen informing him that Severus was present in the quarters.

Stretching briefly, Sam jumped off his dog bed and slinked his way behind the couch. Tapping his nose to the stone wall, a small stone pushed inward and revealed a hidden compartment within the wall. It was a small space filled with various shiny objects, stolen goods, a pair of clothes, and Sam's tanto. Sam shook his head vigorously, freeing himself from the necklace. He gently picked it up and set it in the compartment, the glow slowly fading. It would do him well to take a long break from wearing the necklace. He tapped his nose to the stone once more, hiding his secret stash before retreating from behind the sofa.

Sam paused by his dog bed to lap some water from a bowl. He thought back to when Harry had taken the necklace. It still unnerved the fox, frightened him even. He knew he would never completely understand the power of the tooth or how it is able to do what it does, but he did understand that the magic was bonded to him; it had been since the day he stole the tooth. He could only hope that the tooth's magic did not bond to Harry as well, as the boy was far too young to resist such powerful magic. He knew that even if the magic had bonded to Harry, it would only last a short period, perhaps a week or so, so long as Harry didn't give in to the tooth's demands and extend that bondage. As long as Harry stayed away from the tooth, he would be fine.

"Are you all right, Sam?" Severus's voice pulled Sam from is thoughts. The fox looked over at the concerned man frowning down at him, holding a mug that reeked of coffee.

 _: I am fine_ , Sam answered, pulling away from the water bowl. He looked at the couch and for the first time, noticed Harry asleep on it, a light blanket covering him. _Why is Harry here? It is nearly noon, is it not?_

"It is," Severus answered before taking a sip of his drink. "He was up at dawn and had a trying morning. All of his friends are at odds with each other and he's unsure of how to go about it. He was quite upset about his inability to keep everyone from turning on each other, not that there was much he could have done anyway."

 _: What happened?_ Sam tilted his head at Severus.

"A little trouble on the Quidditch field. Your help would have been useful, actually. If you don't mind staying here until Harry awakes, I need to have a word with Mr. Wood and Mr. Flint on the wonders of sharing and taking turns."

 _: Have fun,_ Sam remarked as Severus left the rooms. Sam turned his attention back to Harry, stepping closer to the couch and resting his head on the edge.

Harry released a loud yawn and his eyes blinked open. The two stared at each other for a moment. Then, Harry reached out and stroked Sam's head, gently scratching behind an ear.

* * *

Draco rubbed his hand before lifting his quill once more and writing in his best print for the seventieth time – I will not use derogatory and offensive language against my friends, peers, and/or adults. This was torture – the line was too long! And he still had thirty more to go. His hand was cramping, and he rubbed it once more. Even his bottom was starting to hurt from sitting in his hard chair. Torture.

Draco glanced over at the clock in his dorm. It was fifteen minutes past noon. Didn't Uncle Sev say he would send him lunch? Had the man forgotten about him?

Just as the thought entered his mind, a house elf appeared with a tray of food.

"Master Snape says Master Malfoy must eat all food and drink all milk but have no dessert," he elf said.

Draco sighed. He would much rather have pumpkin juice and a lot less vegetables, but he accepted the food and began eating, taking a break from his lines. He looked back down at his parchment as he took a bit of the steamed broccoli and carrots. He frowned as he remembered his earlier conversation with Uncle Sev before he had been sent away . . .

 _Draco had just finished explaining everything that had happened on the field, choosing to be as honest as possible as Severus roughly dragged him down to the man's quarters. He was sure Harry was following behind and he didn't want to be in any trouble for sharing only half the story. Every few statements, though, they'd both pause while he vomited up slugs. Severus had been shown more concern on the field, but now, the man seemed livid after hearing the full story._

" _I didn't mean to say it," Draco tried after vomiting up more slugs in the bucket Severus had given him._

 _Severus said nothing, simply summoned a handkerchief and cleaned Draco's face before grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him down another flight of stairs._

" _Really, sir," Draco tried once more._

" _While your language certainly is inexcusable, your and your team's behavior on the field leaves much to be desired for," Severus snapped._

" _We're Slytherins, what do you think was going to happen when you gave Flint permission?"_

" _Pride does not mean arrogance."_

" _What dictionary are you reading?" Draco muttered as the two reached the dungeon level. As the last word left Draco's mouth, he was pulled even closer to the professor and swatted hard on the seat of his pants, the smack echoing loudly. Draco's face turned beet red as he reached back to prevent more smacks, hissing between his teeth: "Professor! We're in the hall."_

" _Then I suggest," Severus said, leaning so he was eye to eye with the boy, "you shut your mouth until we are in my quarters."_

 _Draco lowered his head to hide a tear of embarrassment that escaped his eye before puking in his bucket, making a disgusted face at the slugs inside, trying to ignore the slight sting in his bottom. Once he was finished and Severus had wiped at his face once more, they walked in silence the rest of the way. Once inside Severus's rooms, Draco was pushed down into a chair while Severus retrieved a vial from his closet supply. He handed it to Draco who quickly downed it, feeling the effects of the jinx lift off him, his stomach no longer swirling in knots. He sighed in relief, then slowly looked up at his angry godfather._

" _Er, thank you," Draco offered a hesitant smile._

" _Hmph," Severus hummed. He waved a hand, causing a chair to rush up behind him to sit down in. "We will be having a conversation about the atrocious behavior displayed on the field this morning when I have the entire team present. For now, I'd like to talk about your language and attitude towards your friends."_

 _Draco looked down, staring at his hands._

" _Look at me," Severus commanded._

 _Draco snapped his head up, though he couldn't bring himself to look into Severus's disapproving eyes and focused on the bridge of the man's nose._

" _I want to know why you said what you did to Miss Granger, and why you were showing off to your friends."_

" _It was just fun and games," Draco answered. He sighed and looked back down at his hands. "I was . . . I don't know . . ."_

" _Feeding off your teammates' behavior, perhaps?" Severus suggested with a raise of an eyebrow._

" _Maybe. It's hard trying to make all my friends happy."_

" _I see. Who are your friends, Draco?"_

 _Draco frowned, scrunching his nose. "You know who my friends are."_

" _I do. I'm wondering if you know who your friends are."_

" _Of course, I know who my friends are. Harry and . . . Crabbe and Goyle, and Flint and the whole team, and . . . and Fred and George are cool and . . ."_

 _Severus held up a hand to stop Draco._

" _Tell me what a friend is Draco."_

" _A friend is someone you hang out with and . . . someone you have fun with and you stick up for each other . . . er . . ."_

" _And mock?" Severus added. "Tease? Make fun of?"_

" _Well, maybe as a joke and if they're laughing too . . ."_

" _Is that so? Perhaps a friend is also someone who stands by your side – so long as you have money, status, and benefits."_

" _No, they'd stand at your side no matter what – "_

" _And someone who only comes to you when they need something from you."_

" _No, they're always there for you."_

" _And only makes time for you when it best fits their schedule. Someone who'll tell you their problems but refuses to listen to yours. Someone who stands by your side in your brightest moments but disappears when you need them the most."_

" _I get it," Draco mumbled._

" _Do you? Not everybody can be your friend, Draco. Just because they hang around you and laugh at the same jokes doesn't make them friends. At the end of the day, real situations expose fake people, and in those same situations, we find out who our real friends are. And I think you know who your real friends are."_

 _Draco looked down once more, thinking about what Severus said._

" _As for your punishment, I believe a hundred lines of "I will not use derogatory and offensive language against my friends, peers, and/or adults" will suffice, don't you think?"_

 _Draco shrugged, knowing he didn't really have a say in his punishment. Severus summoned a parchment and wrote out the long sentence that Draco dreaded copying a hundred times. His hand ached just thinking about it. Severus handed the parchment to him and he stared down at the words, feeling his stomach clench as he remembered Hermione's face when he had snapped at her._

" _I really didn't mean to say it, Uncle," Draco said, a tear welling in his eye, "it just kind of came out."_

" _We've had a talk about that word before, young man," Severus reminded. "Do you need another lesson?"_

" _No," Draco grimaced, recalling having his mouth scrubbed out with soap for two minutes a couple years back. He sighed. "I didn't want to call her that. Everyone was just poking fun at me and she was just acting like . . . well, herself, but I shouldn't have said it. I feel terrible. She'll never forgive me and now Harry's going to hate me!"_

 _Draco hated how weak he was sounding. But his godfather's words on true friends really hit him hard._

" _He will not. And you need to apologize to Miss Granger. I suggest you find her and do that."_

" _She won't want to see me," Draco folded the parchment and put it in an inner robe pocket._

" _You don't know that," Severus told him softly. "How about this: write a letter of apology to her if it's easier on you. But you will need to make a formal apology in person at some point."_

" _Yes, Uncle Sev," Draco stood up, Severus doing the same, resting a hand on Draco's shoulder._

" _To your dormitory," Severus said. "Straight there and have those lines delivered to my desk in my office before you do anything else today."_

" _Yes, sir," Draco said, turning to the door to leave._

Draco stared down at his seventy lines, remembering Hermione's reaction specifically. How hurt she had looked. After the fun summer of hanging out with her at Harry's sleepover, all the work they did last year to protect that stone, and their constant bickering over various, inane subjects. Thinking about how Hermione treated him compared to his friends in Slytherin, he had to admit that Hermione would be there at his side for him even when he didn't want it.

He remembered when Hagrid had that stupid dragon that had bitten Ron and they came up with the idea to distract the professors to get the dragon out of the school. It had worked, but Draco had sacrificed himself to be caught, but Hermione and Harry both came to his defense and shared the same punishment with him. No one in his house would have done the same for him. His friends were true – impulsive and reckless Gryffindors, yes – but true all the same. And this was how he repaid that friendship. What was wrong with him?

As he finished his lunch, he was about to pick up his quill and continue writing when the door to his dorm opened. He flipped his parchment over on his desk and glared at whoever may have been entering, annoyed that anyone would interrupt his lines.

To his surprise, it wasn't any of his dormmates but Sam.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked.

 _: Good afternoon to you, too, Draco,_ Sam said, jumping up on Draco's bed and facing the boy's desk, tilting his head at the leftover meal.

"Why aren't you with Harry?"

 _: He decided to go outside. Good weather I must say. Are you going to finish that?_

Draco picked up the tray of his remaining lunch and placed it on his bed for Sam to chow down on.

"That doesn't answer why you are here."

 _: I know,_ Sam said, licking his lips. _But I felt as though you could use my company more than Harry at the moment. I was with him for the past hour. You've been in here alone for a while._

"Which I don't mind," Draco said, turning his parchment over and dipping his quill in the ink once more.

 _: I know you don't,_ Sam finished cleaning the plate and gave all his attention to Draco. _But I also heard of what happened this morning. I figured you could use someone's company._

"Thanks," Draco aid, unsure of what else to say. He appreciated the fox's concern. What harm would it be to confide in Sam? Surely Harry did the same when he had no one else he wanted to talk to. "Have you . . . Have you seen Hermione?"

 _: Today? No, I have not._

"Oh. I was just wondering."

 _: You would like to know if she was still upset from this morning, correct? I can tell you this, she will be upset until you apologize and make things right with her._

"But how do I do that? Do you have any idea what I did? I called her a . . . you know. There's no salvaging that. Have you ever done something to a friend you couldn't repair?"

 _: I murdered my best friend._

Draco's eyes widened, and he stared mouth agape at the fox. How could someone murder their own friend? Sam didn't seem like someone who would betray his own friends, but what did Draco know about the fox.

 _: Unwillingly, of course. My sister's life was threatened, and I was ordered to do it. It was probably the hardest decision in my life and I could have chosen not to do it. But I couldn't endanger my sister, so I picked the coward's way out._

"Why do you say the coward's way out? If I had a sister and had no choice but to kill either her or my friend, I guess I would . . . well, err, I don't know if I would kill anyone, but I mean, I wouldn't let my sister die, but I wouldn't want to kill someone like Harry or anything."

 _: See? Hard decision, but if I had taken the time to think of a better solution, perhaps I could have saved my friend. Maybe I didn't have to kill him. But what's done is done. And you can either run away from your past or learn from it. And you are still young and learning, and I'm sure you'll figure out how to make up with your friend._

"If I can even call her that anymore. How am I supposed to make up with her?"

 _: Only one way to find out,_ Sam said.

The fox stood and jumped over to Draco's desk, grabbing something in his mouth, jumping off the desk, and running out of the dorm. It took Draco a second to realize that Sam had snatched his wand.

"Wait, Sam – stop!" Draco jumped out of his chair and chased after Sam. "Come back with that! Where are you going?"

* * *

Hermione sat on the edge of the lake hugging her knees to her chest, her toes in the cold water. She stared at her reflection, unsure how to feel about who she saw staring back at her. She remembered her first year at Hogwarts, how so unwelcomed she felt by everyone until Harry and Ron rescued her from a troll. And even Draco had seemed accepting of her, if just a bit annoyed by her "insufferable know-it-all" behavior. She thought Draco and herself had come a long way, especially when they had fun together at Harry's slumber party. He had been a friend, hadn't he? But calling someone a mudblood couldn't possibly be a slip-up. It was such a strong word that evoked strong feelings. She felt a tear trail down her cheek and she sniffed, swiping an arm across her face.

She looked down in the water once more, watching as Harry's reflection joined hers, the boy sitting down next to her, his bare feet joining hers in the water. No words were said, they just sat side by side, staring at the glistening surface of the water.

"Am I nuisance?" Hermione suddenly asked.

"Of course not, Mione," Harry said immediately. "What Draco said back there, it was wrong of him. You are a good friend."

"But a muggleborn."

"So?"

"What would you know about it? You're a halfblood, and only because your mother was muggleborn."

"Exactly, my mother was a muggleborns. And my Dad is a halfblood, too. My grandfather was a muggle, and a very unfriendly one. But Dad tells me that my grandmother would have loved me, as would my maternal grandparents. I would have had a great relationship with them if they were still around. Being muggles isn't a problem at all. That would be like saying my mother was a nuisance."

"Draco seems to think I'm a bother. That I'm inferior. Dirty blood."

"You're not. Or I would be, too. I don't know what got into Draco or why he said such a thing to you, but he got what he deserved from Ron. And hopefully from Dad."

The two fell into silence once more.

"I'm sorry for not following after you sooner. I should have been there to comfort you, but I wasn't. I thought about scolding Draco, but then Ron had his wand out and . . . well, chaos happened."

"It's okay," Hermione said. "I kind of wanted to be alone. Besides, you can't be in two places at once."

"True," Harry smiled.

Silence embraced them once more, and they watched Ron's reflection clumsily take off his shoes and join them at the water's edge.

"You guys won't believe all the trophies Professor McGonagall had me polish," Ron said. "And I have a strike against me now for attacking another student. One more and I could be expelled."

"Well you shouldn't have used your wand, Ronald," Hermione said.

"He called you a – !"

"I know. But that doesn't mean you should risk your academic career for me!"

Ron sighed, but said, "It felt good to catch him off guard though."

"He didn't even fight back," Harry remembered. "He never pulled out his own wand. He has good reflexes, but he really didn't want to duel with you. I think . . . he may have really felt bad for what he said."

"Who cares?" Ron said, frowning at Harry. "Still deserved it."

"Maybe," Harry said reluctantly.

Hermione merely stared at her reflection, quiet once more. After a few moments, Harry heard running feet coming the trio's way. He looked behind him to see Sam with a stick in his mouth come to a halt at his side, dropping the piece of wood.

"What are you doing?" Harry frowned, picking up the stick. "Since when do you ever want to play fetch?"

Harry studied the stick closely as Sam sat at his side, his ears perked up. Harry recognized the smooth hawthorn wood.

"Isn't this Draco's?" Harry looked at Sam, who turned his head to the side, looking back at something. Harry followed his gaze.

Draco was running over to them, stopping behind them and leaning on his knees, taking a couple deep breaths. He was exhausted from chasing the fox so far. He seemed hesitant to come any closer to the trio and simply pointed at the wand in Harry's hand.

"Can I have that back?" he asked. "Your dog stole it from me."

 _: Did you just call me a dog?_ Sam growled, his ears falling back. _That's it!_

Sam charged Draco, grabbing a mouthful of the boy's robe and dragging him forward. Draco's eyes widened as he was dragged into the water, his shoes swallowing water and soaking his socks. Once Sam had dragged Draco to ankle deep water, the fox jumped up and knocked the boy down, splashing in the water with him. Draco shrieked at how cold it was, while Harry and Ron laughed. Hermione simply turned her head away, refusing to look at the blonde.

"Okay, okay, you're not a dog," Draco said, pushing Sam off him and standing, walking to the edge and sitting down next to Ron, taking off his shoes to wring out his socks. "Thanks, fox. I didn't need a bath, though."

Draco accepted his wand from Harry and cast a quick drying charm on himself, then set his toes in the water as well.

"Professor McGonagall," Ron began, looking at Draco, "told me to apologize to you the next time I saw you. So, I'm sorry."

"Thank you for your willing, sincere, and totally not forced apology," Draco said, trying hard to keep the sneer out of his voice.

"You deserved every slug," Ron said.

Hermione glanced in Draco's direction without turning her head.

"I know," Draco said. "And I'm really sorry, Granger – I mean, Hermione. As a true friend, I should really start calling you by your first name, shouldn't I? And I mean it, you three are probably more true friends than anyone I know in Slytherin. You've always stood at my side and took the blame with me when I never asked it of you. I realize that now and I should never have called you what I did, Hermione. I can only hope that you'll forgive me, but I understand if you don't want to."

Hermione slowly turned her head in Draco's direction, then looked down at her reflection in the water once more. She studied herself, considering Draco's words. They sounded a lot like her own fears – who were truly her friends? Who actually liked her for being her? Draco seemed to have the same struggles in his own house, but it seemed as though he had come to the same realization as her. Their true friends were all sitting side by side on the edge of the lake, toes in the water, confiding in one another. Hermione had never been one to hold a grudge for long, and as much as Draco's words had hurt her, she wanted nothing more than for those same words to be untrue and for Draco to confess his true feelings about her. And he had. Who was she to deny him her forgiveness.

"I forgive you, Draco," Hermione finally said, offering Draco a smile. "Thank you for being honest with me."

"I shall do my best to always be honest," Draco said. "At least with you guys."

Harry smiled at his cousin, glad the stress of the morning was fading away. The four sat on the edge of the lake for a while longer, enjoying each other's presence.

Later, the four and Sam made their way back inside the castle, chatting amiably to the Great Hall for dinner when a loud annoyed voice stopped them.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Severus's voice cut through the air. Draco flinched and looked up at Severus, who paused in front of them, folding his arms across his chest and glaring down at the blonde. "I believe I had told you that I wanted those lines completed and on my desk before you left your dormitory to socialize with friends. Are your lines complete?"

Draco blanched and shook his head.

"No, sir. I was going to finish them I swear but . . ."

 _: Relax, kid,_ Sam said, stepping forward. _It's my fault his lines are not finished. I dragged Draco outside to make up with his friends._

"And I did, Professor," Draco smiled, Harry, Ron, and Hermione smiling and nodding as well. "See? You were right about who my true friends are. I did finish seventy of the lines. I can finish the rest after dinner and have them to you before curfew."

"Hmm," Severus narrowed his eyes, then glared at Sam. "You should have at least waited until he had completed his lines, fox." He looked at Draco again. "Though it appears the lesson has sunk in, I expect the rest of the lines on my desk tomorrow by noon at the latest. Merlin help you if they are late again . . ."

As Severus spoke, Sam groaned and looked at the four kids.

 _: Don't worry, I got this,_ he said, stepping forward and mouthing over Severus's robes.

". . . if they are late tomorrow, you will be completing another set of lines on the importance of turning in assignments in a timely manner," Severus pushed Sam away briefly, but the fox came at him once more, mouthing at his pocket. "Stop it, Sam. What are you doing?"

Sam didn't respond, just pulled Severus's wand out of the man's pocket and took off down the hall. Severus gasped and shouted, "Sam!"

Sighing, Severus glared at the four snickering kids. He eyed Draco and said, "Do not forget them."

Draco nodded, though he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Severus rolled his eyes and turned after Sam, not trusting the fox to not break his wand. Once Severus was out of earshot, the four kids laughed openly.

Later that night, long past when everyone had retired for the night, within the hidden compartment of Sam's hideout, the tooth began to glow its blue color once more. A bluish fog trailed out of the hideout and glided along through the air. It flew over Sam's head, ignoring the fox its magic was bonded to. Instead, it traveled out of Severus's quarters and up several flights of stairs, into Gryffindor tower and into the second year's dormitory. The fog grew thicker as it neared its target – Harry.

The fog circled itself around the sleeping boy, its magic bonding with the child in a last attempt to complete its desired demand to complete the task it was asked. Sam's voice echoed softly in the air: _Reveal to me the danger I seek._

Then Harry's eyes opened, his pupils glowing an eerie blue.

* * *

Remember to review and let me know you are all still reading. =)


	20. The Dragon's Tooth of Requital

I really wanted to update more than just one story, but life never happens the way we plan it. I'm happy to post this chapter, but I will be updating my other three stories soon, including _My Little Runaway_ and _Learning Friendship_ , both of which I know haven't had any recent updates. Just hang in there with me. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews.

* * *

Harry woke up the next morning with an aching headache. He groaned and rubbed at his head, feeling very hot. Was he getting sick? He better visit his father just to be safe. He would avoid Madam Pomfrey's indulgent care at all costs. Slipping out of bed and quietly changing to avoid waking his dormmates, Harry snuck out of the room and out of Gryffindor Tower.

By the time he reached his father's quarters, his headache had eased tremendously. How strange, Harry thought as he pushed open his father's door. Stepping inside, Harry blinked at his father and Sam.

Severus was on the floor looking under the couch, his wand tip lit so he could see. Sam, wolf-sized, was pacing the length of the living room, sniffing the floor. Harry noticed a large hole in the wall behind the couch containing shiny metals and objects. Harry frowned at his father and the fox.

"What's going on?" he asked, shutting the door behind him.

"Good morning, Harry," Severus said, pushing off the floor, noxing his wand. "I didn't hear you come in. Sam lost something. We're both looking for it."

"What did Sam lose?"

 _: My necklace_ , Sam growled, sniffing at the hidden compartment once more and then sniffing the floor, following a trail. _My hiding spot had been raided at some point during the night and my necklace is the only thing missing. The dragon tooth must be found. It can be very dangerous in the wrong hands, as you know from personal experience. When I find the thief, he will learn just how dangerous it is to steal from a kitsune._ Sam lit his tails for a split second to demonstrate his fury.

Sam spoke as he neared Harry, sniffing the ground. Sam paused at Harry's feet, slowly lifting his head to sniff Harry, who frowned, allowing Sam to sniff his hands. Sam sat down with a look of disbelief at Harry, tilting his head. His ears slowly flattened, and he narrowed his eyes.

 _: You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?_

Severus tensed visibly, crossing his arms and looking sternly at Harry, though he seemed to have the same look of disbelief on his face.

"No, honest!" Harry said, shaking his head. "I didn't take it, I swear. I learned my lesson about that tooth and I would never steal from you, Sam. You believe me, right?"

Sam tilted his head the other way, leaned forward and sniffed Harry once more, then tilted his head the other way. Harry watched as Sam looked at Severus and a silent conversation seemed to occur. Harry gulped and decided to say a few things.

"I promise I didn't do anything," Harry said. "And I'd never steal from you. I slept all night. I never left the tower once. I'm not sure what you smell, Sam, but maybe it's residue from the last time I touched your tooth?"

Severus sighed, and Sam looked back at Harry and smiled.

 _: I can sense your honesty,_ Sam said, standing once more, _and perhaps your right, your hands do have a hint of the tooth's magic, but it could be residue. My apologies for jumping to conclusions._

"That's okay," Harry said. "I hope you find your necklace."

 _: I do as well_ , Sam went back to sniffing around the room, looking for the trail he had found earlier.

"What brings you here, Harry?" Severus asked.

"I woke up with a headache this morning," Harry said, "but it kind of went away once I got here."

Severus felt Harry's forehead and cheeks.  
"You don't feel warm," Severus remarked. "Did you feel sick at all this morning?"

"No, I just had a headache. Now that I think about it, my eyes kind of hurt, too."

"Hmm," Severus peered into Harry's eyes, lighting his wand once more and flashing it in Harry's eyes, pulling it away and bringing it back a couple times. He noxed his wand once more and held up two fingers. "Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"Two."

"I don't see anything wrong now. You seem perfectly fine. But if you feel strange at any time later, you come right back here or go to Madam Pomfrey, understand?"

"Yes, Dad."

After a quick conversation with his father, Harry made his way to breakfast to join Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table.

"There you are," Ron greeted, making room for Harry to sit next to him. "Where did you go so early this morning?"

"Sorry," Harry said, helping himself to a plate of eggs and bacon, "I woke up with a headache and went to my Dad, but I was fine once I got there. Guess it was nothing. I did find out that Sam's dragon tooth necklace is missing. Someone must have gotten in to my dad's quarters. Strange they would know where Sam hid it. I didn't even know he had a secret hideout."

"That is strange," Hermione muttered, "from what I understand, all the professors' doors to their quarters are spelled to recognize certain magical signatures, allowing quick access but letting no one else in. I didn't think those types of protection spells could be tampered with so easily."

"Unless someone has been plotting for a long time," Ron suggested.

"That necklace is dark magic, I'm sure of it. I think I'll do some research on it today and see what I can find. Why don't you boys meet me in the library when you're done with breakfast?" Ron and Harry nodded as Hermione stood and left to the library.

After breakfast, Harry and Ron went back to their dorm to gather assignments and books to take with them to the library. As Harry quickly made his bed, a habit his father instilled in him, something rolled out from under his pillow and produced a thud on the floor.

Harry gasped.

Sam's necklace.

"What is it, Harry?" Ron asked, coming to stand next to him. Ron sucked in a sharp breath. "Bloody hell, that's Sam's necklace! How did you end up with it?"

"I don't know."

Harry picked up the tooth with shaky hands.

"You should give it back to him," Ron said. "We don't want any more venomous snakes showing up."

"But he'll think I lied to him. I already told him I didn't take it, and here it is, under my pillow. What else will he think?"

"I can vouch for you. You never left last night. Tell him you have no idea how it ended up under your pillow. Maybe the thief planted it there to frame you."

Harry thought back to when Sam had sniffed his hands and gave him that bewildered look. It all made sense now. He must have handled the necklace at some point. Did he sleepwalk all the way to his father's quarters and steal it? But why would he do something like that? Even in his sleep, he wasn't that suicidal. Harry wanted nothing more than to get rid of the necklace, but he was too afraid of Sam's and his father's reaction to him having it. Maybe he could say he found it somewhere else in the castle, but he was sure Sam would immediately investigate any place he named. What was he going to do?

"Maybe Hermione found something about the tooth," Ron suggested. "She might be able to answer how it ended up with you."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, pocketing the tooth. He couldn't leave something so powerful lying around in his dorm.

At the library, the two found Hermione surrounded by books, her nose buried in one presently.

"Find anything?" Harry asked hopefully, sitting down across from her.

"I did," Hermione said, lowering the book. "And you won't believe in what book I found the answer."

Harry saw the restricted label on the binding of the book she held. The title of the book said _Ancient Dark Artifacts Lost in History._

"How did you get that?"

"Professor Lockhart signed a slip for me to retrieve a book from the Restricted Section. Of course, he thought I was asking for his autograph. Madam Pince had to remove several curses off this book just to open it for me."

"She wasn't the least bit suspicious?" Ron frowned.

"Professor Lockhart teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts. To her, the book probably seemed fitting."

"What did you find?"

Hermione laid the book flat for everyone to see the pages. A drawing of Sam's necklace sat to the side of a page surrounded by writing. Harry pulled out the tooth to compare: it was a mirror copy, from the designs in the dragonhide leather to the severed edges of the tooth itself.

Hermione gasped. "You have Sam's tooth"

"I didn't take it," Harry insisted. "I know it looks bad, but I have no idea how it ended up under my pillow. I would never steal it."

Ron nodded in agreement, giving Hermione a serious look. Hermione gave the tooth a hesitant look, glanced at Harry, then nodded her head. She pointed to the heading on the page.

"The Dragon's Tooth of Requital it's called," she said. "The tooth was pulled by Saint George himself after he slaughtered the venom-spewing dragon that terrorized Silene, Libya. Saint George wore the tooth as a trophy of the dragon he slayed, cutting off some of the dragon's hide to create a necklace for it. He wore the tooth until the day he died, and it was alleged that the tooth was buried with him."

"So someone dug up Saint George's grave just for the tooth?" Ron asked with a disgusted face.

"Listen to this," Hermione continued, holding up a finger. "Grave robbers dug up Saint George's grave in the 1700s, stealing the treasures he was buried with. When they were captured, everything was recovered save the missing dragon tooth. The robbers said they never took a dragon tooth necklace."

"Then it wasn't buried with Saint George," Harry concluded.

"Exactly," Hermione nodded. "That's what I thought. But it can't be proved that it wasn't ever buried with him. No one knew what happened to the tooth. But it turned up three years later. It was uncovered in the ruins of Silene, buried under the ruble of the church built in Saint George's honor after slaying the dragon, right where the damaged fountain was. Funny thing, the fountain contained water that could cure all diseases, and when the church collapsed and destroyed the fountain, the water killed anyone who dared to drink it. For years, many said the church was haunted, strange noises and lights often came from the rubble."

"And that's where the tooth lived for several years," Ron added.

"Yes, probably stewing in all kinds of raw and toxic magic. When it was discovered, it hung in the current King's palace for seven years, but it emitted strange blue fog and it occasionally would light up. The King had the tooth incinerated and the ashes thrown into the ocean. But no one ever dug through the ashes to make sure the tooth was gone for good. It washed up on shore years later, where an elder witch found it. Locals say she went crazy, becoming all paranoid and obsessing over the tooth. She claimed she could have whatever she wanted, but that she couldn't have what she wanted."

"That makes sense," Ron snorted.

"Her words," Hermione said. "The witch told Aurors that she had asked for good fortune and prosperity, and her farm became plentiful and she had obtained money somehow, but her family was murdered. She said she was cursed for all eternity, but she wouldn't hand the tooth over, saying she had to protect others from its horrors. She said she had seen things, and they haunted her dreams. When she passed, the tooth was gone. Aurors believed she had hidden it somewhere. It didn't turn up again until fifty-three years later, in the hands of a dark wizard in Russia. He caused true terror in the wizarding community, killing hundreds and famishing the land as he grew richer and more powerful. He was finally defeated, and the tooth was put in a secure containment and sold to the Chinese Officials for further protection. And that's where it remained for eighty-two years exactly, it's legend and power slowly forgotten with time."

"And then?" Harry frowned.

"It vanished again," Hermione said, flipping the page. "Stolen on the same day the Head Auror was murdered. Aurors arrested someone by the name Ishimori for the murder and robbery of the same vault the tooth was in, but no one bothered to search him for the tooth. I guess at that point, it had been forgotten."

"Wait," Harry said, frowning, "Ishimori? That's Sam's last name!"

"Really? It said the man arrested spent early fifty years in prison before he escaped in the year nineteen thirty, and he was never seen or heard from again. It's written here that the man "didn't seem at all human.""

"Sam did spend years in prison before a wizard helped him escape. He told me he had been set up by dirty Aurors looking to rise in their own department while stealing the riches the Head Auror had. They made Sam kill his best friend at the time. Then framed Sam for everything and sent him away to prison."

"Wow," Hermione said, looking at the tooth in Harry's hand. "Well, now we know how Sam managed to find the Dragon's Tooth of Requital."

"Why is it called that?" Ron asked.

"Well, from what wizard magiologists could determine in the short time they had the tooth to study," Hermione continued, flipping the page, "The tooth will grant whatever the wearer demands, but each demand is met with a price, a type of Eye for an Eye magic, or the law of retaliation."

"That kind of magic is really old," Ron added. "Like before civilization old."

"in this case," Hermione continued, "when the wearer demands something, the tooth gets the opportunity to use magic itself, usually at equal strength to what was asked of it."

"Are you saying," Harry looked at the tooth in his hand, "that the tooth is . . . alive?"

"To an extent," Hermione answered. "It's hard to say how alive, the researchers never had a lot of time with the tooth to study that aspect. But in order to come alive, it needs a wearer who will use it. Its like a mutualistic relationship in animals, where both parties benefit. The wearer gets something he or she wants, and the tooth can expel some magic itself. The more it uses its own magic, the more powerful the tooth becomes in its magic. The tooth is capable of bonding with the wearer, and the researchers believed that the creation of bonds was the tooth's attempt at getting more wearers to use its magic, so the tooth could expel magic, growing more and more powerful."

"Creepy," Ron said, giving the tooth a sidelong glance.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "creepy. But how did it end up with me?"

"The tooth has ancient magic beyond anything we can understand," Hermione said. It's one of the oldest dark artifacts listed in this book and its been through a lot. Who knows what it could have done to get to you. I think it's trying to bond to you."

"Why would it bond to Harry?" Ron asked.

"To finish Sam's task," Harry answered confidently. "It wants to finish Sam's task, so it can gain more power by finishing what Sam started."

"That makes sense," Hermione said, reading on curiously.

"What I don't get is why my dad wouldn't want me to know how Sam came across the tooth. I think I put the story together. Sam did what he was told to do, and he was tricked by those dark wizards to steal the tooth. That doesn't seem like something I couldn't handle. What could be so bad?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, "but it says here that the tooth, unless it willingly bonds with someone, will only work for someone who has committed all seven of the deadly sins within twenty-four hours. Maybe that has something to do with it."

Harry paled. All seven in one day? How was that even possible?

"What are the seven deadly sins?" Ron asked. Hermione answered.

"Greed, pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust, and sloth."

"But Sam is none of that," Harry said.

"Not every day, no," Hermione said, "and certainly not all in one day. But you've seen how he could be when he's being protective. And you've seen how he gets when he sees a shiny object. There's where wrath and greed could become a problem. We all know he falls for pretty woman and everyone knows he likes food. I think if those wizards set everything up correctly, it wouldn't be hard for Sam to meet all of those demands in one day."

The very idea of committing so many sins in one day made Harry feel sick. He looked at the tooth. The object didn't belong in the school – it was pure dark arts.

"Why keep something like this?" Harry wondered aloud.

"I'm sure Sam has his reasons," Hermione said, doubt evident in her voice.

"Why keep what?" another voice said, approaching the table.

The three kids jumped slightly, Hermione almost slamming the book shut. They looked at Draco's amused face.

"Careful," Draco smirked, "people might think you three were . . . up to something."

Harry rolled his eyes, willing his heart to slow. "Not funny, Draco."

"Really, what are you guys up to?" Draco sat next to Hermione, looking down at the book. "The Dragon's Tooth of Requital? I've heard of that before. My father talked about it with some friends once. I guess they were looking for it and since Dad's a collector of dark artifacts, they thought he might have it. Dad told them that he would never be able to obtain it. There's a heavy cost just to get the tooth to work for you."

"We know," Harry informed, "we were just reading on it. You have to commit all seven deadly sins."

"Why are you guys interested in this?" Draco asked.

"Because this," Harry held up the tooth, "is the Dragon's Tooth of Requital."

"Sam's necklace is _the_ necklace?" Draco gave a low whistle. "How did I never connect the dots. I guess it was so log ago that I heard Dad talk about it, it slipped my mind. Wait, why do you have Sam's tooth?"

"It came to me," Harry said. "Somehow, it ended up under my pillow."

"That's a little disconcerting."

"What's disconcerting is that Sam still wears this. After all the trouble it's caused him, why keep wearing it."

"There's probably some symbolic reason he does it," Draco suggested. "Some kind of 'I'm better than this' kind of thing. Besides, Sam seems to have his sanity and it doesn't seem to affect him in any way."

"That's," Hermione blinked at Draco, "not a bad guess."

"It's what a Slytherin would do, and we all know Sam would definitely be a Slytherin."

"Would not!" Harry argued. "He's got a lot of bravery and heart, and he's a prankster. He is all Gryffindor."

"But Sam is also sly and very ambitious. He gets what he wants most of the time. If Slytherin symbol couldn't be a snake, it'd be a fox. Sam fits in perfectly with my house."

"Hey!" Hermione snapped. "We have more important things to talk about. Sam doesn't know Harry has that necklace, and we don't know how Harry ended up with it. What we know is that it probably wants Harry to finish a task Sam demanded from it, since Sam won't do it himself."

"So your solution is to look up the Dragon's Tooth of Requital?" Draco pulled the book closer to himself and skimmed through parts. "Interesting read. But really, I think the smart thing to do would be to give the tooth back to Sam. I want nothing to do with that thing. It's dangerous."

"Maybe, but if no one finishes the task, it could try to bond to anyone it can reach. It could end up in the wrong hands and then we'd have a huge problem. We have to be the ones to finish the task if Sam won't."

"I'm going to tell you guys this once: stop thinking like Gryffindors. Did you comprehend what you read? This thing is dangerous. D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S, dangerous. Give it back to Sam."

"I already told him I didn't have it," Harry confessed.

"You lied to him?"

"No, that was before I knew I did have it! And worse, Sam could smell it on me. He was so confused – I was confused."

"But you can tell Sam that. He'll understand if you tell him you had no idea you had it."

Before Harry could respond, the tooth in his hand glowed blue and he dropped it on the table, the four kids standing and backing away. They watched as the tooth remained blue for a minute, then faded.

"Dangerous," Draco muttered, crossing his arms and glaring at the tooth.

"I have an idea," Hermione said. "We do the task."

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Hermione.

"Are you crazy?" Harry asked. "There's a price for completing the task it wants to finish. A very deadly one. It could have killed me."

"I have an idea that will keep us all safe and I could easily snatch some anti-venom potions off the classroom shelf just in case there's any problems. But we should finish the task and at least see what Dobby thought was so dangerous here to keep Harry away. Don't you want to know, Harry?"

"Yeah, but . . . that's breaking a lot of rules. You'd be stealing from my dad and . . . I can't let you get in trouble for that. And it's not like I can hide Sam's tooth forever."

"We do it tonight."

"Hermione does have a point," Ron said. "We'll find out what had Dobby all crazy and we never have to see the necklace again. What if you give Sam the tooth back and you get in trouble, and then the tooth finds you again? Besides, I don't think we want anyone else getting their hands on this thing after what we just read. We see what the problem was, have the antivenoms, and then we're all okay. But your idea does involve none of us getting bit, right?"

Hermione nodded, a confident smile on her face.

"I'm in then," Ron said looking at Harry.

Harry stepped forward and picked up the necklace, images of the black mambas rushing to the front of his mind. He shuddered and looked at Hermione.

"None of us get bit?" he asked.

Hermione nodded.

"We complete the task, see what the problem was, then forget all about it?"

Hermione nodded again.

"And then the tooth will be satisfied and leave me alone."

"That is the goal, yes," Hermione said.

"Okay. I'm in."

"You guys are crazy," Draco frowned. "Obviously, you need someone with a sane head. I'm in."

"Great," Hermione stepped forward and looked at the book. My plan is simple. See here, where the researchers state the studied the tooth using mice subjects? Obviously, the tooth does not need a human to be the wearer, it just needs a living thing that can think for itself. It may demand things differently than we do, but it still works. We just need an animal subject."

"You're not getting Scabbers!" Ron was quick to say.

"You'd subject an innocent animal for our sake?" Draco's eyes widened.

"No-no," Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out a hair pin. Flicker her wand, she transfigured the hairpin to a small mouse that cleaned its face in Hermione's hand. "This is no different than turning a mouse to a matchbox, it's really just a reversed process. I've turned an inanimate object into a small living thing, but it's still just a hairpin with a temporarily beating heart and working mind until it wears off. The magic will always work for any living thing, it can't tell that this was just transfigured temporarily."

"And why do we need a mouse?" Harry asked.

"The mouse will be the wearer. When the task is complete, someone has to pay the price, so my hairpin will take the bite for all of us."

"Thank you, hairpin," Ron said.

"This is crazy," Draco shook his head. "You all are crazy. What is wrong with giving this back to Sam?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious, Draco? At all?" Hermione asked.

"Well, maybe a little, but still. This is crazy. We don't know where this tooth will lead us."

"It'll be like an adventure."

"That's a Gryffindor thing. I just want to keep myself intact at this school until I graduate."

"You don't have to come, Draco," Harry said. "I admit that I'm nervous, too. But what if the tooth doesn't give up and keeps coming back to me. What if it gets to the point that it hurts me or something? Or someone else finds it before me? We just can't risk it."

Draco nodded, though still looked doubtful. Harry looked down at the tooth still in his hand. He hoped Hermione's plan worked and he could somehow sneak it back to Sam and never see the tooth again. That was all he really wanted.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	21. Into the Chamber They Fall

Thank you all for the reviews. This next chapter is short, and was actually a lot longer, a little too long, so I broke it up so I could save the second part for next week's update. So, there's a promise to a second update soon and today's update. Enjoy!

* * *

"You have those potions with you, right?" Ron asked as he followed the bushy haired girl down a dark hall.

"For the hundredth time, yes!" Hermione hissed to him, her free hand covering over the small mouse that tried to jump away from her. She adjusted the necklace around the mouse's neck again then continued down the hall, keeping an eye out for any professors or Filch.

"I was just asking to be safe," Ron said. "You can never double check enough times, you know. Still can't believe you just walked into the infirmary and talked Madam Pomfrey into giving those to you."

"Guys, hush down," Harry said, "It's in the middle of the night."

"Sorry," Ron said.

Harry sighed and glanced ahead, watching as the strange blue fog trailed further down the hall and descended a flight of stairs. The trio tiptoed down the stairs slowly, watching for any adults as they turned the corner. A dark figure waiting at the bottom step made all three kids jump and freeze.

"Took you guys long enough," Draco's voice commented as he stepped out of the shadowy corridor. "I've been waiting where you said to meet for hours."

"Well," Hermione defended, resting her free hand on her hip, "it's not easy slipping out of Gryffindor Tower. McGonagall has some of the prefects on lookout at this hour."

"That's why I never went back to my house," Draco said. "Uncle Sev is like a round the clock watch dog. He doesn't need prefects to do his work."

"Haha," Harry made a face at Draco. "We have to keep going if we want to be back in our common rooms before sunrise."

"We just follow the strangely colored fog?" Draco asked as he joined the group. "Why not? Everyone naturally follows eerie fog and sounds."

"You hear it, too?" Ron asked. "I thought I was going crazy."

Harry nodded, agreeing with the others. The walls were making a lot of noises that sounded like clangs and rumbles. Almost within the pipes. And occasionally, he would hear hissing.

"Do you think those noises are hints to what awaits us?" Draco asked.

"Could be," Hermione nodded, catching the mouse as it scurried up her arm. She stroked its head soothingly. "It could be clues as to the answer of what Dobby thought was dangerous or maybe even . . ."

Hermione frowned in thought.

"What?" Harry pushed.

"Maybe the price we'll have to pay," Hermione said, her face paling. "Those hisses remind me of –"

"Snakes," Ron answered, shuddering. "Great."

"Either way, I have the antivenoms. If this backfires, we each will have a potion then we go straight to Madam Pomfrey."

"And tell her what?" Draco sneered. "We all thought it would be brilliant to play with venomous snakes, especially considering Harry has already been bitten by them once? That Harry developed some sick fascination with poisonous animals after his experience?"

"We could just tell her the truth."

"And be expelled!" Ron exclaimed. "I really like your thinking, Hermione."

"Shh!" everyone shushed Ron.

"Who's there?" a loud voice spoke.

The four kids froze.

A gleeful meow caught there attention and everyone ran to hide behind one of the many knights in the hallway, huddling close and shushing each other aggressively before falling silent as footsteps neared. The fog remained, and the kids wondered if anyone else could see or even hear what they could. Filch walked down the hall, Mrs. Norris leading the way, her scrawny tail flicking back and forth like a loyal dog leading its proud owner.

"Well, Mrs. Norris?" Filch smiled maliciously, seemingly unaware of the fog settled around him, "scout them out."

Mrs. Norris purred as she took a few steps towards the shiny armor.

The four kids held their breaths, Hermione covering the mouse to keep it from seeing its natural enemy come its way. Mrs. Norris sniffed at the base of a knight a few knights away from the one the kids were behind.

More footsteps attracted everyone's attention, including the cat, who sat down and looked in the direction of noise.

Severus walked down the steps with Sam at his side, the fox's tails aflame to light the way. Several portraits on the wall complained of the bright light, causing Sam to extinguish two of his tails in annoyance.

"Ah, Snape," Filch's smile grew. "It seems we have some late-night wanderers. Mrs. Norris is sure she has found some students to expel."

"Or give detention to," Severus said, "preferable, really. Then you can watch them suffer from a close perspective."

 _: Do you live to see how many students you can torture in your lifetime?_ Sam asked, looking up at Severus. _That's a bit twisted._

"Why don't you be of some use and help the cat sniff out these supposed students," Severus said, glaring down at Sam.

 _: Help the scruffy cat? I'd rather eat it._

Mrs. Norris hissed and swatted in Sam's direction.

 _: Then again, I might catch something._

Hermione sucked in a breath as the tooth in her hand glowed an even brighter blue, sending a strange tingling sensation down her arm. She quickly pressed the tooth against her cloak, trying her best to hide the light. Harry covered her hand with his, trying to help as he saw Sam's fur visibly bristle, remembering that the tooth was indeed bonded to Sam.

 _: Wait a second,_ the fox stood, sniffing the air. _I sense . . ._

Sam made a beeline for the knight the four kids were hiding behind, sniffing. His ears flattened as he came closer, tails twitching, even the still flaming one, and Hermione struggled to keep the squirming mouse calm as another natural predator came even closer. Mrs. Norris also walked towards the knight now. As Sam sniffed the base and seemed ready to walk around the knight, Draco flicked his wand and whispered as quietly as he could, "Serpensortia."

Sam jumped back when a large snake flew past him and slithered down the hall some, stopping to hiss loudly at Filch. Mrs. Norris leaped in front of the man and hissed in return, arching her back.

"Vipera Evanesca," Severus said lazily, flicking his wand. The snake disappeared in a puff of black smoke. He smirked at Sam, then at Filch, who picked up the cat. "It seems to me that your cat sensed a very unruly snake. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to expel him before he could cause any more trouble."

Harry would have found the situation funny if not for the close call of being found out. He breathed a sigh as Sam trotted back to Severus, giving one last curious glance in their direction. He nudged Draco's shoulder and nodded to him in appreciation for the save, Draco nodding back.

"Mrs. Norris did hear students," Filch defended. "They must have gotten away. We shall continue to keep an eye out for them."

Filch walked past Severus and Sam.

 _: Something feels off,_ Sam said, twitching his tails, his ears pivoted in opposite ways.

"I swear, Sam, you are lost without that necklace," Severus said.

 _: Am not. I'd just hate to see it in the wrong hands. You know what that thing can do._

"Come," Severus encouraged, continuing down the hall, "I need to finish my patrol shift and then I'm retiring for the night. Don't worry, it'll turn up when you are not adamantly looking for it."

 _: One can hope,_ Sam said, following the man.

"I forget Uncle Sev was on night patrol today," Draco commented.

"That," Ron glared at Draco, "would have been really good to know."

"I forgot!"

"Shh!" Hermione stroked the mouse and waited until it was calm. "Hush down. We are right behind Professor Snape and Sam, now. We will wait a few minutes to let them get ahead and then we will continue on. I don't think anyone noticed the fog or noises we've been hearing."

"Sam noticed," Draco said, crossing his arms.

"He felt something," Harry argued, "but he didn't know what. We need to hurry and finish this, so we can give this back to Sam as soon as possible."

"Let's go," Hermione said.

Everyone continued on, following Hermione. The fog led them down an empty hall, the noises in the walls growing louder, almost as if the pipes were breaking. The fog made a sharp turn into the girls' bathroom. Hermione pushed open the door and stepped inside, Harry and Ron at her heels. Draco paused outside.

"Um, are you two aware this is a girl's bathroom?" he asked, only for Harry to reach out and yank Draco inside. He closed the door, in case any professors – or his father – walked by.

"This is wrong," Draco said, folding his arms. "We shouldn't be in a girls' bathroom. Hermione should just finish the task alone. I feel so out of place. Awkward even."

"Be quiet," Hermione said, "there's no other girls in here, so it's fine."

"Except me!" A voice shrieked, scaring the skins off everyone, the mouse squeaking in alarm. "But who would ever notice poor, invisible ME!"

A young ghost girl appeared out of a toilet, her pouty face staring down at the four.

"See!" Draco held out a hand in her direction.

"Can't you boys read? This is a girl's bathroom. Though, I'd let Harry stay." The girl smiled and waved at Harry, who raised an eyebrow at her. A ghost girl flirting with him – definitely the strangest event of the night so far.

"Do you mind, Moaning Myrtle?" Hermione interrupted. "We're trying to do something."

"Oh, don't let me get in the way!" Moaning Myrtle cried. "As it's all I'm ever good for – being in the way of the cooler, prettier students! AHHHHH!" the girl dover into her toilet with a splash.

"You couldn't have let her off in a nicer manner?" Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"It wouldn't have mattered," Hermione said, "she is known for her dramatics. Look!"

Hermione pointed at a sink where the fog was settling heavy around. An engraved snake on the tab lifted its head and glared at the four before hissing at them. The mouse quivered in Hermione's hands. The sink seemed to shake and the ground rumbled slightly under their feet. Hermione looked closer at the snake on the tab, lowering her head, unafraid when the porcelain snake lunged out at her, its jaws snapping shut inches from her nose.

"Hermione," Draco cautioned, stepped forward.

"Ah!" Hermione yelped and dropped the tooth she had been keeping over the mouse's neck, her palm red. "It burned me!"

The tooth rolled to a stop and vibrated against the floor, the ground shaking even more, the brilliant blue glow the tooth emitted deepening.

"Whatever it's doing, it's using up a lot of magic!" Ron said, grabbing another sink to steady himself. Draco and Hermione leaned against the wall, while Harry used the door of a bathroom stall to hold himself up.

The sink sank out of sight, exposing a large pipe wide enough for a man to slide into. Ron stumbled and fell backward to avoid being taken with it, grunting as he hit the ground. The tooth rolled toward the pipe and Harry dove for it, grabbing it just as it rolled over the edge, his eyes seeing how dark and deep the pipe was.

"I got you!" Ron grabbed Harry's emerald cloak and dragged him away from the edge of the pipe.

"Thanks," Harry said, standing up with Ron.

Draco and Hermione joined the two as they looked down the pipe, admiring how large it was. The blue fog circled the pipe's opening and the tooth had a fainter glow. The mouse squeaked in Hermione's hand as it attempted to leap away, but she caught it before it could.

"Shall we?" Hermione asked, holding out her hand for the tooth.

Harry gulped, staring into the pitch blackness for a second longer before he handed the necklace to Hermione, who adjusted it around the mouse to continue following the fog and keep the price off of them. However, when she did so, the blue glow of the tooth flickered, the fog dissipating, and then the entire bathroom floor softened underneath them and turned yellow, baffling the kids.

"What . . .?" Draco started.

"Is this . . .?" Harry reached down to touch the changed floor. "Cheese?"

Hermione yelped as the mouse bit her finger and she dropped the little creature, removing the necklace that maintained a soft blue glow. The mouse immediately began nibbling the floor, starting at the edge of the pipe entrance for better biting grasp.

"Did the mouse actually wish for the floor to turn into cheese?" Draco frowned. "How is that even possible?"

"I think the castle's magic helps strengthen the tooth's own magic," Hermione said. "Just a guess, though. And the mouse must have been hungry. It probably just wanted lots of cheese."

As the mouse moved along the edge of the opening, nibbling at the swiss flavored floor, blue fog swirled near it, and a large viper head struck out from the pipe, snatched the shrieking mouse, and disappeared back down the hole. Draco, Ron, and Harry had jumped back while Hermione had screamed and covered her mouth in shock.

"Well," Ron said, stepping closer to look over the opening, "eat or be eaten. I think your hairpin just paid its price for wanting a floor made of cheese."

"Sadly, I don't have another hairpin with me. Anyone have something small and easily transfigurable?"

The boys checked their pockets, then shook their heads.

"I guess this is as far as we go for tonight," Hermione said. "At least we know where to come tomorrow. Maybe we could do the rest without the tooth's lead. It might be safer after all if we don't have a price hanging over our heads."

"But we keep the antivenoms to be safe," Draco said.

"Of course."

"I wonder where this pipe leads," Harry thought aloud. "Or what's down there that had that house elf in a fit."

"Do you guys," Ron asked, "really think that a floor made of cheese can really support the weight of – "

Before Ron could finish his question, a large chunk of cheese crumbled under their weight, causing the four kids to fall and slip down into the pipe, sliding down the long tunnel with loud screams. It was a long, straight drop. The four hit the bottom hard, falling on top of each other. "Sorrys" were uttered as they awkwardly untangled themselves. Once everyone was standing, they looked around their surroundings.

They were in a large, dark corridor surrounded by pipes and support structures of the castle. With a nod to each other, they slowly moved down the corridor, keeping close to avoid losing each other in the dark. The tooth began to glow once more, a blue fog settling around them again and leading the way to a large door at the end of the corridor. It was a heavy steel hatchway door with seven snake-shaped locks on the front.

When the four paused in front of it, Harry felt the tooth heat up in his hand and quickly wrapped his cloak around it to avoid feeling the heat. The fog around them thickened, and the ground rumbled once more. After a minute, the four watched in awe as an eighth snake slithered around the doors edge, the seven snake-shaped locks slithering backwards. Then, the door opened.

No one moved.

"Who first?" Hermione finally broke the silence.

"Not it," the three boys all said at once.

Hermione huffed. Bravely stepped forward, she turned in order to step down the ladder and into the large chamber, Harry, Ron, and then Draco following her in. Within the chamber were towering stone pillars entwined with more serpents that cast long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

"The Chamber of Secrets," Draco said, a smile growing on his face. "It does exist."

"What is the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked, moving further inside with the boys following.

"Salazar Slytherin himself created it," Draco explained eagerly before pausing, considering his words and said, "it's a complicated story. Maybe for another time. Look, the fog is still leading the way."

And the fog did lead the way, past a massive creature lying on the ground just feet from the four children. Gasping, everyone ran to a pillar and hid behind it. Harry peeked out from behind his.

It was a giant, green snake with no eyes. It laid in an S-form on the ground, a visible, necrotic puncture wound on the roof of its mouth. The animals smelled like a rotting skunk corpse, and its skin sagged around its lifeless body.

Hermione peered from around her pillar on the other side of the chamber. Draco stepped out from behind his, peering at the snake. Ron relaxed away from his pillar. Hermione inched closer to it and tapped its head with a slipper before backpedaling several feet.

"It's . . ." she stepped closer again and tapped its head again, "it's dead."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and came out to the center of the Chamber.

"It's a basilisk," Draco said. "Slytherin's monster. It was killed during a confrontation between James Potter and Voldemort during the end of Potter's second year in 1973."

The blue fog grew thicker, capturing the kids' attentions once more. It trailed over to a rocky ledge behind a pillar, hovering over something shiny. The four ran over to it, Harry picking up the object from a makeshift nest of dead grass, leaves, and fabric pieces. It was about the size of a grapefruit, but golden with blue dapples in color. It had a good weight to it, and Harry had to use caution that he did not drop the object.

"All of this for that?" Ron frowned. "What is it, anyway? Doesn't look so dangerous to me."

"It's an egg," Hermione said in a matter of fact tone. She cast a wary glance in he basilisk's direction. "Do you think . . .?"

"No," Draco answered with a shake of his head. "A basilisk egg has special requirements. It needs a chicken egg and a toad to sit on that egg for a long time. This is not a basilisk egg. I'm not sure what kind it is but it's not that."

"Well, that's a relief," Harry said, "but then what could it be?"

"Whatever it is," Ron said, "it's dangerous enough for that elf, Dobby, to go all crazy over. We should smash it right here and be done with it."

"No!" Hermione said. "We can't just kill it without at least knowing what it is. Besides, if it's not a basilisk egg, then we need to know what beast laid this. Maybe it plans to come back."

"I doubt it," Draco said. "there can't possibly be that many exits to this place. Whatever did this is probably dead by now, maybe even eaten by that thing. It looks like it tried to keep it warm with this nest material. The egg is probably dead too, it's freezing down here."

Hermione took the egg and cradled it while giving it a sad look. "It still feels warm. Maybe it still has some life. We can take care of it, see what hatches from it, then release it I its natural habitat."

"I still don't get how something got down here and laid an egg," Ron said. "I mean, eggs don't stay eggs forever. This had to have happened recently. But why would anything even lay an egg in a gloomy cave anyway. Something just doesn't seem right."

"Maybe there's a poacher in the school," Draco said, "or someone working with the Black Market. I hear there are some exotic creatures you can buy as familiars in Knockturn Ally."

"How would they have gotten the egg into here though?" Harry asked. "We never would have gotten this far without Sam's tooth. Unless there are secret compartments or something. Like Sam's hideout I knew nothing about. If we search hard enough, maybe there is another exit out of here."

Unbeknownst to the four, the tooth began to glow bright once more, and the blue fog travelled over to the massive carcass in the middle of the chamber, engulfing its form.

"We have to take the egg back with us," Hermione said. "We can't leave it here where it could freeze or be subjected to poaching."

"I agree," Harry said, feeling bad for whatever the baby inside was. Unless it was something that wanted to kill him when it hatched, of course.

"I don't know," Draco frowned, "if someone put it down here, they know its down here and taking it would put us in trouble of getting involved with whatever this someone is up to."

"We could take it to a professor," Ron suggested. "Or Hagrid. Bet he'd love another dangerous pet to care for."

"We can't risk this person getting the egg again," Hermione said. "We could keep it with us. We'll find a way to keep it warm and safe and . . ."

"Attend classes and do homework and keep the professors from finding out," Draco crossed his arms. "Let's see how long that lasts. We can make bets. I say Sam will be the first to find out by tomorrow. Ron, what do you think?"

"I think we should leave it here. It's been fine so far. I don't see how this is really a danger to anyone in the school or to Harry. It's just an egg and whatever hatches will be just a baby. Maybe Dobby was overreacting."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, accepting the egg back from Hermione.

"Will you quit breathing down my back!" Draco snapped at Ron.

"What do you mean – I'm not!" Ron snapped back. "I'm not even close enough to you for you to feel my breath."

A low rumbling noise made everyone freeze.

"Hermione," Harry said, not moving an inch.

"What?" Hermione responded.

"I thought you said the basilisk was dead."

Everyone slowly turned around to see the eyeless monster sniffing down at them, the puncture wound still visible. The monster's teeth revealed themselves so slightly as the beast flicked its tongue out to taste the air.

"It was," Hermione said, her jaws slack as she stared up at the snake.

* * *

Hope you are enjoying their adventure so far. More to come soon! Let me know if its moving too fast, too slow. A lot is planned to happen.


	22. Crime and Punishment

Thanks for the great reviews. Enjoy!

* * *

 _"Hermione," Harry said, not moving an inch._

 _"What?" Hermione responded._

 _"I thought you said the basilisk was dead."_

 _Everyone slowly turned around to see the eyeless monster sniffing down at them, the puncture wound still visible. The monster's teeth revealed themselves so slightly as the beast flicked its tongue out to taste the air._

 _"It was," Hermione said, her jaws slack as she stared up at the snake._

The snake flicked its tongue once more, slowly lowering its head as it sniffed the air, producing a low guttural sound. No one moved. No one made a sound. No one breathed.

Hermione closed her eyes and turned her head, her face scrunching in fear, as the basilisk sniffed her closely, nearly sucking in her hair. Harry watched the monster out of the corner of his eye, his heart fluttering as he heard a whimper escape Hermione's throat. His eyes widened as the basilisk raised its head and opened its mouth, slowly lowering his jaws over Hermione.

Without giving his actions a second thought, he loudly ran away from the group and down the chamber. The basilisk's head snapped in his direction, and it hissed loudly before slithering after him. Harry hid behind one of the large pillars, breathing heavily. He could hear the scales scratching up against the cold stone floor. The snake was on the other side of his pillar, but Harry could tell by the loud sniffing that it would come around the pillar and swallow him whole. He tensed, his grip tightening on the egg, prepared to run.

A loud whistle cut through the air, and the basilisk snapped its jaws in Draco's direction, who ran down the chamber and towards a large pipe. The snake followed.

"Harry!" Hermione called out, catching the basilisk's attention. "I get it now. The noises in the walls, the black mambas – none of it was the price for Sam's request – this was! The rest of it was just warnings for what Sam was about to pay for."

"That doesn't make sense – wouldn't the price always be the same?"

"It was the same for an interrupted demand. You and Sam were both attacked by black mambas. If you had completed the whole task, this would have been your price. But those snakes were just warnings to the real price."

The snake dove for Hermione, biting down on empty air as Hermione ran away, screaming as rock crumbled from above due to the impact of the snake colliding with the stone. The snake sniffed the air and turned its head side to side.

"Guys, in here!" Ron called out, having found a large enough pipe for everyone to crawl into. Inside was like a tunnel system, and the four ran deeper into it, taking a turn that lead to a dead end, grates blocking their way out. They all froze as the snake's loud sniffing echoed and vibrated off the walls. Everyone held their breaths once more as the massive animal slinked by their tunnel, searching and listening for its prey.

When it was far enough out of smell and hearing range, Ron spoke up.

"We have to get out of here."

"What about the egg?" Hermione asked, taking the blue dappled, golden egg from Harry.

"We take it with us," Harry suggested. "You said it felt warm, maybe it's still alive. We can't leave it here to die."

"If it's not already dead," Draco said.

"What are we going to do with it?" Ron asked. "Hide it from all the professors?"

"We can't give it to them," Hermione said, "they'll ask too many questions. We could be expelled!"

"Oh, now you think about that."

"Guys, it's coming back!" Harry yelled as the snake hissed loudly at the end of their tunnel and lashed out. The four pressed themselves up against the sides of the tunnel as the snake rammed into the grates, blowing them out of place and across the chamber. They clanged on the ground and the basilisk snaked after the noise.

The four ran out of the tunnel, their footsteps luring the basilisk's attention away from the grates. It chased after Draco, who paused long enough to pick up a rock and throw it away from him. The snake spun its head in the sound's direction and went after it. Draco hid behind a pillar and breathed, feeling sweat trickle down his forehead

"How do we stop it?" Harry asked, the snake now coming his way. "We can't keep taking turns distracting it forever."

"I don't know!" Hermione said. "How do you kill something that's already dead?"

The snake was growling as it rushed for Hermione, only to be struck by a rock in the face. The snake winced and tilted its head. Ron tapped loudly on the wall as he ran down the chamber, the snake following, towards another large pipe, throwing the rock aside as he crawled in to safety, the snake looking in the direction of the noise and back at Ron repeatedly.

"Maybe the same way you kill a basilisk," Draco suggested loudly so the snake would move towards him instead of pursuing Ron.

"How do you kill a basilisk?" Harry asked. "That would be really nice to know."

"Well," Draco frowned. "I only know about a rooster's crow."

"Where the bloody hell are we going to get a rooster?" Ron asked, jumping out of his pipe and running to Harry's pillar.

"Maybe we don't need a rooster," Hermione said. "Maybe a spell. A charm?"

Harry ran away from the pillar once Ron stopped, leading the basilisk. He ran into water at the end of the chamber, flooding from a pipe most likely, realizing his mistake as it only slowed him down. The snake was right behind him now, and it snapped at the air. Harry slipped and fell into the water, the snake arching its neck above him, sniffing harshly before bringing its wide-open jaws down. Harry screamed.

Water splashed Harry's face as Draco rolled next to him, holding up a long, thick stick that the basilisk bit on, holding its jaws open. The snake moved its jaws a couple times to try and break the stick, then thrashed its head around.

While it was distracted, Draco pushed Harry and the two crawled away, stood, then ran to join the others, sprinting for the chamber's entrance.

"Any spells?" Harry asked through huffs.

"There's a charm we learned," Hermione informed, cradling the egg tightly against her, "that can mimic any birds cry as long as you know the right words, but I can't think of a rooster. Not Ibis, not Aquila, not Olor . . ."

A large crack and the basilisk spat out the stick pieces. It hissed as it spun around and let out an angry screech, dropping to the ground to slither after the four, who just reached the ladder and began climbing, Hermione going first.

"Hurry!" Draco rushed as Ron went next, then Draco. Harry found a rock and threw it at a side wall away from them, but the basilisk was not fooled this time. As Draco made it over the last step, the basilisk lunged forward. Harry dropped to the ground, believing it was after him, but instead, a loud cry pierced his ears. Harry rolled over in time to see the snake pull Draco out of the entranceway, biting down on his cousin's leg. Draco managed to grab the rungs of the ladder, while Hermione and Ron pulled on Draco's arms.

Harry felt his chest crush his lungs. He remembered the charms lesson Hermione had been referring to and shouted: "Gallus! It's gallus!"

Hermione let go of Draco's arm, whipped out her wand, and said, "Gallus Vocatio!"

Hermione's wand vibrated as it produced sound waves. The loud cry of a rooster in the morning sprang out of her wand and filled the air around them. Harry covered his ears but kept his eyes open to see the basilisk release Draco and screech, shaking its head as blood pooled out of a hole on either side. The basilisk fell to the ground with a thud, dead once more.

Harry took in several deep breaths, pushing off shaky hands to his feet. Draco's pained moans had him climbing up the ladder and out of the chamber. Hermione and Ron were sitting next to Draco, who was sprawled out on the ground, tears streaming down his face, his trousers pulled up on his leg. His left leg was mangled where the basilisk's teeth had sunk in. The skin and vessels around the wound were turning black. Hermione was in tears, while Ron was pale faced.

"He doesn't have long," Hermione said. "What are we going to do?"

Harry walked up to Draco and kneeled at his side. He grasped Draco's hand, giving his cousin a reassuring squeeze. He knew what he had to do. He knew the only way one could cure a basilisk attack. And he was glad he had given his father such a gift for Christmas last year. But this meant they would be found out.

 _Sam_ , Harry thought loudly, _Draco's hurt. We need the vial of phoenix tears from Dad's lab. Please, hurry._

"Sam is coming," Harry told everyone. "I sent him a message. He'll be here soon."

"We're going to be in so much trouble," Ron said.

"But we need help," Hermione argued, wiping away some tears. She looked over at the egg they had managed to keep unharmed. "This was a terrible idea. The egg will probably die anyway. And one of us still paid the price. I'm so stupid to think my plan would have worked."

"Hey," Draco managed to gasp out. "But what if it doesn't? Then we saved it. This wasn't for nothing."

"Glad to see you're looking on the bright side," Harry smiled weakly, wincing at how black and dead Draco's leg was starting to look.

"I'm not actually," Draco smiled back, giving Harry's hand a squeeze. "I'm thinking about how red our arses are going to be after Uncle Sev deals with us."

Harry groaned dramatically, "Why did you have to bring that up?"

Draco chuckled then gasped in pain, fighting back more tears.

 _Harry, I can't find you,_ Sam's frantic voice entered Harry's mind. _Keep reaching out to me, it'll help me pinpoint where you are._

Okay, Harry thought, feeling nervous now, but don't go mental. We were just trying to help, honest. We didn't think things would turn out this bad. And we're sorry.

There was silence but Sam had not shown up yet, so Harry kept thinking.

 _I have your tooth. I didn't steal it, I swear. It just showed up under my pillow. I didn't even know I had it until after you had already questioned me. We just wanted to know what was so dangerous that Dobby would want to keep me away._ Harry looked at Draco's face and closed his eyes. _Please hurry. Draco doesn't have much longer._

 _I'm here, Harry._

A white mist and a vial flew around the four children, circling twice before landing next to Harry and solidifying into the three-tails. Sam caught the vial that dropped in front of him and handed it to Harry. Popping off the stopper, Harry carefully aimed four drops into Draco's wound, admiring how quickly the black death seemed to reverse itself, even the skin wounds healed. Draco seemed to breathe easier, and Hermione and Ron gave smiles of relief.

Draco hissed as he sat up and moved his leg warily, the rolled down his pajama trousers. He gave Sam a grateful smile.

"Thanks, Sam," he said, "and you, too, Harry. That was some quick thinking."

"I couldn't lose you, Draco," Harry said. "Then I'd have to face Dad alone."

All four laughed in relief until Sam cleared his throat, glaring at them, his ears flat and his three tails twitching agitatedly. Everyone's laughter died down and they gave Sam apologetic looks.

 _: First things first,_ Sam snarled, staring directly at the tooth Harry had around his neck, _you will give that back to me._

Harry gulped, then removed the necklace and held it out to Sam. The fox stared a moment longer, his eyes narrowing. Then, he shook out the fur around his neck and leaned towards Harry, allowing him to slip the necklace over the fox's head. Harry did so quickly to avoid any sudden nips from the fox.

The tooth glowed blue for a second once more, then returned to a resting state. Sam sighed loudly, his head and ears dropping.

 _: What am I going to do with the four of you?_ He asked aloud, shaking his head. _Do you have any idea how close to death you all came? And for what? A little nighttime adventure?_

Harry saw Hermione discreetly cover the egg with her cloak, shivering slightly as she was left in an outer robe and pajamas. Harry figured now was not the time to discuss the egg – they were all in enough trouble as it was, and he was sure no one would let them keep it anyway.

 _: Up, all of you,_ Sam barked, standing and leading the way. _We're getting out of this wretched place._

Everyone stood and followed Sam, Hermione cradling the egg, though to anyone who did not know of it, it looked like she was just carrying her bundled up cloak. They followed Sam back to the large pipe they had all fell down. Harry looked up in the pitch blackness.

"How are you getting us all up there?" he asked.

 _: Did you honestly think I came alone?_ Sam asked, sitting down as a figure floated to the ground, arms crossed, and a glare plastered on his face.

"Children," Severus greeted, giving each child a quick once over with his eyes.

"Good evening, Professor," everyone said glumly.

Severus snorted unamused.

"Good morning," he snapped, "you four are lucky I sent Sam ahead of me or one of you would be dead right now! I cannot believe that . . . I can't even . . . you know what? We'll continue this lovely conversation when we're all in a safer location. Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, to me."

Hermione and Ron stepped over to Severus, who pulled them against his side and flew up the pipe. Sam kept an eye on Harry and Draco until Severus returned for them. Flying up the chamber sent a slight chill down Harry and he shivered. He could feel how tense his father was, and he knew the man was refraining from taking a switch to his son and godson right then and there. Once back in the girl's bathroom, Severus waited for Sam to mist out of the pipe before he placed several deterrent and protective spells over the large tunnel. He set up a few alarm spells and, after ushering the four children outside of the bathroom, placed a Out of Order sign on the bathroom, locking the door and placing yet another alarm.

Then, he and Sam had a quiet conversation amongst themselves. After a few minutes, Sam nodded and misted off.

"Sam is reporting to Professor Dumbledore," Severus explained, "the events of tonight and what you four have been up to. I have asked that the headmaster refrain from informing the staff and sending out letters to your parents just yet. We all need to have a serious discussion."

"Yes, sir," the four said, keeping their heads down.

Harry handed over the vial of phoenix tears to his father, who took it and pocketed it as he gave his son a disappointed look. Harry felt sick and lowered his eyes.

"Follow me," Severus said, leading the way to his quarters.

Harry looked over at Hermione. No one seemed to have questioned her carrying her cloak rather than wearing it when she was obviously cold. It did inform him that his father was furious beyond making reasonable observations. Wonderful. He would never be able to sit again after the night – or morning – was over. He bit his lip and followed behind Draco in silence. Once at his father's quarters, Severus motioned to the sofa and everyone squeezed themselves onto it. Severus towered above them, giving them his famous Snape glare.

"I want an explanation," was all the man said.

Everyone took turns telling the story, Harry starting off with how he had found Sam's tooth after visiting his father yesterday morning, then taking it to the library to meet with Hermione. Hermione took over and explained how they did research on the tooth and discovered that it was called the Dragon's Tooth of Requital and why, as well as coming up with the plan to finish Sam's task. Ron took over explaining how he distracted the Prefects on night watch by using the twins smoke bombs and then continued up until he almost revealed the egg, at which point, Draco cut him off and explained there was nothing in the chamber but the basilisk, which came alive and attacked them, biting Draco in the process.

Harry spoke up again to inform Severus that Hermione had saved Draco from being eaten by using the Bird Call charm, while Harry asked for Sam to come with the vial of phoenix tears to heal Draco. Once the story had been told, they waited for Severus to say something.

Severus looked like he was ready to spit fire. The man paced the living room, then disappeared in the kitchen for a while.

"What's he doing?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"Probably encouraging himself not to chop us up and use us in his next potion," Draco answered, enjoying the pale look on Ron's face.

"Most likely having a nightcap or two," Harry said, easing Ron's worry. "He does that when he's really mad but doesn't want to do something he'll regret."

"What do you think our punishment will be? Detention? A letter to our parents? Loss of points? Expelled?" Hermione's voice seemed to shudder more with each word she said.

"I know what I'll be getting," Harry muttered, Draco nodding in agreement.

Everyone fell silent when Severus returned to the living room, but instead of talking to the four, he went straight to the fireplace, threw in some powder, and stuck his head in. His voice couldn't be heard, leaving the four wondering who he was speaking to. Ten torturously long minutes passed, then Severus pulled out of the fireplace, sighed, then stood in front of the children once more.

"I have just spoken with Professor McGonagall," he told them. Hermione sat up a bit straighter, dreading his next words. "She has put me in charge of your punishments for this incident. We have both decided it best to leave this event off school records for the safety of the other students and to keep word of mouth from spreading. That said, no points will be taken, and no one is getting detention."

Hermione relaxed, as did Ron, but Harry and Draco gulped.

"However," Severus continued, "Professor McGonagall has agreed to a more traditional Hogwarts punishment approach for your actions tonight, and I cannot agree with her more. So, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, I will inform you of your options: you may be escorted home to your parents at eight o'clock this morning, where they will be informed of your actions by your accompanying professor. Your parents will then decide on your punishment themselves."

Harry looked over at his friends, who had both paled at the very thought.

"Or you will allow me, as a Head of House, to handle your punishment. And my punishment will be a ruler applied to your backsides. The decision is yours."

Ron's face turned as red as his hair, as did Harry's. He couldn't believe his father had just threatened to smack his friends. Hermione was looking down at the cloak resting in her lap, fiddling with the edges. She licked her lips then looked up at Severus, meeting his eyes.

"I'll take the ruler," Hermione said, surprising the other three boys. "I don't want my parents to know about this, sir."

Severus nodded, then looked at Ron, who looked at his slippers and said, "I-I'll take the r-ruler, too, sir."

Severus nodded again.

"Very well," he said, "Harry, escort Miss Granger to your room, then you report to my bedroom. Draco, you go to my study. Mr. Weasley, you stay here."

Everyone shuffled to their feet and did as Severus instructed. Harry led Hermione to his bedroom, watching as she hid the egg under Harry's bed, keeping her cloak wrapped warmly around it.

"I hope it'll be warm enough," Hermione said.

"Beats being in that cold, damp chamber," Harry remarked. "That was brave of you to take a smacking from my dad rather than going home. Why?"

"If my parents hear about what happened tonight, I can kiss Hogwarts goodbye. Besides, you've survived your dad for years. It can't be that bad. And when it's done, it'll be all behind us."

Harry's face turned red, but he nodded in agreement. A hand fell on his shoulder and he looked up at his father.

"My room, now," Severus said, giving him a push in the right direction.

"Yes, sir," Harry said.

Harry walked towards his father's room, pausing when the door to his bedroom shut. He stared at the wooden structure, focusing his ears to hear what was going on. But when he was met with silence, Harry figured his father put up silencing spells around the room. That was nice of him. Harry felt bad for his friends, and very embarrassed that it was his father dealing out the punishment. He sulked into his father's room, closing the door behind him, avoiding Ron's looks.

How could his father agree to something like this? What if this ruined his relationship with Ron or Hermione? They were going to hate him now after Severus was through with him.

Harry fell into his father's bed, placing his face into a pillow. They just had to follow that stupid tooth. Speaking of that, Harry wondered where Sam had gone off to. Sam probably didn't want to see Harry. The fox had every right to hate him now. He had lied to Sam and used the necklace even after Sam had told him never to touch it. And he had put his friends in danger. Harry wondered if Sam would ever talk to him again? Or if he would even stay around anymore.

Fighting back tears, Harry looked at the time. Only five minutes had passed.

Sighing, Harry closed his eyes and rested his head on the pillow. He wondered when his father would deal with him. Exhaustion quickly overtook him. It had been a long night after all. He would just close his eyes for a second . . .

"Harry," a voice above him said as a hand shook his shoulder.

Harry blinked his eyes open, seeing the time first. Forty-five minutes had passed. Harry yawned and blinked blearily up at his father.

"I hate to do this," Severus said, "but we need to get your punishment done with."

"Now?" Harry asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, now. I certainly don't feel like starting my day smacking your backside. Come on, let's get this over with."

"I'm too tired."

"I'm sure. Fighting a basilisk is no walk through the park."

"I'm sorry about that. We had no idea there was going to be a basilisk. And I didn't steal Sam's tooth."

"No, you didn't," Severus agreed. "But you didn't return it to him either."

"I'm really sorry," Harry said as he was pulled to his feet, his father sitting down on the bed.

"We'll talk when you're more awake," Severus said, tipping his son over his knees.

Harry wondered when he would be more awake to talk, as he felt his eyes closing even over his father's knees. He barely registered his dad pulling his shorts down before a hand struck his bare bottom. His eyes widened, and he gasped. He was awake now.

Another smack, and Harry winced. More hard smacks followed and by the time his father had dealt twelve, he was crying out and mumbling apologies. Severus paused and rubbed Harry's back. As Harry sniffed and slowly pulled himself together, Severus said, "you will get four with the ruler, young man."

Harry hiccoughed and tried not to start sobbing again. His bottom already hurt and now he had four more coming, but with the ruler. He wondered if his father had given everyone the same punishment but felt as though this seemed more personal than what a professor would do for a student. A painful sting erupted over his bottom, pulling him from his thoughts. His eyes immediately welled with tears and the second smack pushed all the tears out. He cried out with the last two, but then it was over. Severus pulled him to his feet, adjusted his clothing, then pulled him into a strong embrace. Harry sniffed into his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry, Dad," he said.

"You have no idea how much you scared me," Severus said, squeezing his son tightly. "All four of you. Any one of you could have died tonight, do you realize that?"

Harry nodded into his father's shoulder. Severus kissed Harry's temple, then continued rubbing soothing circles on his son's back.

"Everyone probably hates me now," Harry muttered, sneaking a hand back to rub his aching bottom.

"No one hates you," Severus told his son, stopping Harry's hand from rubbing away the punishment. "Everyone is concerned about you, as I'm sure you are about them. You all have good, caring hearts. And I'm proud that you did the right thing when Draco ended up hurt on your little escapade. I hope you realize that when something is off limits to you, it is so with good reasoning."

Harry nodded. "I'll never look at that tooth again."

"You've said that before," Severus gave his son a pointed look.

"This time I mean it," Harry said.

"We'll see," Severus smiled, tapping Harry's bottom for assurance. Harry whined, the slight tap hurt his stinging bottom. Severus smirked, then kissed Harry's forehead. "We can discuss the rest of your punishment in the morning. For now, you and I are both tired."

"What do you mean the rest of my punishment?" Harry frowned.

"Tomorrow," Severus insisted, lifting and depositing Harry on the large king-sized bed. Harry gave his father a weak glare as the man moved across the room and stripped out of his robe.

"I thought we weren't having detention or anything."

"You're not," Severus yawned, shoving Harry over as he settled in bed himself. He closed his eyes. "Sam would like to instill some discipline in you children himself. I'm allowing him."

"What do you mean? What is he going to do? He's not going to burn us all alive, is he?"

"I guess you'll just have to find out. Now go to sleep. It's been a long night for you."

"I can't. My bum hurts and my head is paranoid."

Severus snorted, offering a small smile. Harry waited for his father to say something, but when the man remained silent, he laid his head on Severus's shoulder, feeling exhaustion overwhelm him once more.

* * *

Latin: Gallus Vocatio – rooster call

Ibis – owl

Acquila – eagle

Olor – swan

I'm sure everyone is wondering about the punishments with the other three, and it will be implied in the next chapter, which is already written, but does not go in detail. If it's in the favor of the readers, I could write a one-shot about what occurred between Severus and the other three children. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	23. Punishing the Quartet

I was going to publish this as a one-shot, but since I'm not done with the next chapter and this was long enough to be a chapter itself, I figured: why not? Enjoy!

* * *

Those kids would be the death of him.

Severus paced in his kitchen, trying his best not to give in to the urge to march back out into the living room and hex some common sense into the children. His slipper could probably pound some common sense into them as well.

Deep breath. Severus opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of a muggle beer and poured a nightcap for himself. He'll just hide out in the kitchen all night.

Severus took a long drink from his glass, staring at the opposite wall as his mind wandered. Someone could have died tonight. Severus set his nightcap down and rubbed at his face with both hands. Draco had been bitten by a basilisk that had been declared dead almost two decades prior. How was it even possible? Shaking his head, Severus picked up his nightcap and took another gulp.

After a minute of calming his temper, he was ready to face the children again. Severus set his drink down and took a step toward the entryway, paused, then backtracked and picked up his drink again, leaning against the counter. Not ready.

Severus sighed after taking a couple more gulps. He couldn't hide in the kitchen all night. But what was he going to do with the four miscreants in his quarters? This was a serious matter. Several school rules had been broken – sneaking out of their dorms, wandering the castle after curfew, using an ancient dark artifact, battling a monster – the list went on and on. And they were all equally guilty. They needed to be punished. Perhaps he could send them all home and have their parents deal with them. That would just leave him with Harry and potentially Draco.

But then word would get out of what had happened. The less who knew of the chamber the better. And what of Miss Granger's parents? Muggles could be hysterical when it came to magical beasts and dangerous battles. Would it be wrong to misinform them? Perhaps say their daughter had only been out past curfew? Miss Granger was sure to know that her actions were severely wrong.

But it wouldn't be fair to let one get away with a minor punishment compared to the rest. He was sure to hear of the unfairness from the other three. He needed a second opinion.

Severus finished his nightcap and left the kitchen, purposely avoiding the questioning and nervous eyes from the four troublemakers as he made his way to the fireplace and threw in some powder. Sticking his head in, he called for Minerva's quarters. It took a few minutes before the older witch appeared before him.

"It's almost two in the morning, Severus," Minerva said, "what is it?"

"I have four troublemakers in my quarters waiting for me to bring the law down on them."

"Oh no," Minerva shook her head disapprovingly. "Four, you say? As in three lion cubs and a snakelet? What did they do this time?"

"Oh, you'll enjoy this story," Severus assured, "you know of Sam's tooth, yes? The children found it and decided it would be fun to see where it led them to. It took them to the Chamber of Secrets and the dead basilisk attacked them while they were down there. Merlin knows how. Sam confirmed the snake is dead once more. Draco had been bitten but he is fine now. I had a vial of phoenix tears on me, thank heavens."

"No one else is hurt?"

"Everyone's fine, just waiting on punishment."

"Well, why haven't you whipped them all yet?" Minerva huffed, her hands on her hips.

Severus snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"Is the Head of Gryffindor suggesting such a discipline on her precious lions? Someone should mark this moment down in the history books."

"You know I try to refrain from using such discipline unless it is absolutely necessary. Besides, I'm not as young as I used to be. Since you have all four, why don't you tend to their punishments? You're a Head of House and fully capable of seeing to it. As far as I'm concerned, they have two options – accept a spanking from a Head or go home and explain it all to their parents. As for their school records, I believe it might be best to leave this off the books. We don't want any frantic parents showing up or curious students checking out that girl's bathroom."

Severus sighed, "I guess I should get to it then. Looks like I have some smackings to hand out before I retire to my bed."

"You plan to do it all now?"

"I'd rather we all get it done and over with and move on by morning instead of letting them toss and turn the rest of the night and not be able to focus on why they are being punished."

"Well, good luck to you then, Severus. And save me some lecturing for them. I'd like to give those kids a piece of my mind the next time I see them."

"Will do," Severus smirked before withdrawing from the fireplace. He sighed as he stood before walking back to the children, standing over them.

"I have just spoken with Professor McGonagall," he told them, narrowing his eyes. "She has put me in charge of your punishments for this incident. We have both decided it best to leave this event off school records for the safety of the other students and to keep word of mouth from spreading. That said, no points will be taken, and no one is getting detention."

Hermione visibly relaxed, as did Ron, but Harry and Draco gulped. Severus bit back a snort, knowing that his boys knew exactly what was coming.

"However," he continued, watching as unease settled back into Hermione and Ron, "Professor McGonagall has agreed to a more traditional Hogwarts punishment approach for your actions tonight, and I cannot agree with her more. So, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, I will inform you of your options: you may be escorted home to your parents at eight o'clock this morning, where they will be informed of your actions by your accompanying professor. Your parents will then decide on your punishment themselves."

Severus watched as Hermione's and Ron's faces paled considerably at his words. They certainly weren't going to like his next option.

"Or you will allow me, as a Head of House, to handle your punishment. And my punishment will be a ruler applied to your backsides. The decision is yours."

Severus noticed his son's face turn as red as Ron's hair, the redhead also turning red. Draco was looking off to the side, his elbow rested on the arm of the couch with his chin in his palm. Hermione was looking down at the cloak resting in her lap, fiddling with the edges. She licked her lips then looked up at Severus, meeting his eyes.

"I'll take the ruler," Hermione said, the three boys comically snapping their heads in her direction at once, eyes wide and jaws dropping. "I don't want my parents to know about this, sir."

Severus nodded. He figured as much from Hermione. He looked at Ron, who avoided his eyes and looked at his slippers, saying, "I-I'll take the r-ruler, too, sir."

Severus nodded again. Wonderful. He had to dish out four smackings in one night. Merlin grant him strength.

"Very well," he said, "Harry, escort Miss Granger to your room, then you report to my bedroom. Draco, you go to my study. Mr. Weasley, you stay here."

Severus remained where he stood as he watched the kids scramble to do as he said, Ron adjusting himself on the couch so he could lean against the arm. Severus flicked his wrist toward a hall closet then at Ron. A pillow and throw flew over to the boy and Ron gave an appreciative smile before looking down at his slippers again.

"Do not leave from that spot, Mr. Weasley," Severus said. "And no speaking to anyone else, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will return to deal with your punishment shortly."

"Yes, sir."

Severus had thought hard on what order he should handle the four in and he figured Hermione would be the easiest and quickest to deal with. Ladies first, anyways, right? He walked in the direction of his son's room, finding Harry still talking with Hermione. He rested a hand on the boy's shoulder which made Harry look up at him.

"My room, now," he said, giving a helpful push in the right direction. He resisted adding a smack to the boy, not wanting to embarrass his sons in front of his friend.

Once Harry was out, Severus muttered a silencing charm as he closed the door, then turned and glared at Hermione, crossing his arms. Hermione looked down at her slippers, twiddling her thumbs as she leaned back against Harry's bed.

"Well, Miss Granger," Severus said, moving further into the room, standing directly in front of Hermione, "you've proved that even with brains, you are still just like any other Gryffindor – reckless and running into danger without so much as a second thought."

"I'm sorry, sir," Hermione said honestly before meeting Severus's eyes, "but I did give this plan a lot of thought and I was sure we'd all be safe, and it was working until the mouse . . ."

"You cannot apologize for your actions and then try to justify them," Severus interrupted. "What you four did tonight was life threatening, and Draco could have been killed. Any one of you could have been killed, and not just by the basilisk alone. None of you understand the magic behind that tooth, how were you to know it wouldn't turn against you? Or make you pay a price for something you weren't aware you requested? And what of the fall into the chamber? One of you could have hit your head and been knocked unconscious. Or worse."

"I know, sir, and . . ."

"If you knew, as you say, then why did you continue with the plan regardless?"

Hermione opened her mouth, paused, then slowly lowered her head, offering a shrug. "I was so sure nothing would go wrong. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. Not Draco, no one. It just happened so quickly."

"As things tend to do in life. Even when you think you have all the facts, Miss Granger, there is always potential for things unplanned and unexpected to happen that would never have crossed a million minds. Say a dead basilisk coming alive, for instance."

Severus noticed a tear escape Hermione's eye and she quickly swiped it away with her hand. Severus sighed wondering how he was going to manage himself through three more children. He moved around Hermione, sitting on the edge of his son's bed, Hermione standing in front of him.

"I am sure you believed your plan flawless, and I'm positive you did every bit of research possible, and seeing a friend injured probably devastated you greatly. But I hope tonight's events showed you how dangerous dark artifacts really are and how foolish you all were to use something like that tooth. To be honest, out of you four children, I would have expected you to make the mature suggestion of returning the tooth to Sam. Did that ever cross your mind?"

Another tear escaped Hermione's eyes as she offered a quiet, "maybe," Hermione swiped another hand under her eye before frowning at Severus, "But why does it have to be me? Everyone always expects me to make the right decisions, but I can't."

"Child, no one expects so much from you. You are just that, a child. Young and inexperienced. However, you have proven that you do display a bright mind and you are capable of reasonable thinking compared to the other Gryffindors you house with."

Severus suddenly felt annoyed at the other professors (and admittedly, himself) for always overestimating Hermione, for considering her a mature and responsible know-it-all, when the girl was just reciting every word of every textbook she's read. She was young and impressionable, just like the next twelve to thirteen-year-old.

"With that said," Severus continued, "I know you are bright enough to understand the exact dangers you were putting yourself in, or you wouldn't have transfigured that hairpin into a mouse and used the necklace on it. Isn't that correct?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione admitted reluctantly.

"And you still followed through on your plan, didn't you? And you didn't consider returning the tooth nor did you involve an adult on your suspicions. And, if I remember correctly, you lied to a professor in order to get a pass into the restricted section of the library. Didn't you?"

Hermione gulped and nodded her head. "Yes, sir."

Severus smirked, "I think I'll let that last one go considering the professor."

Hermione allowed a small smile to spread on her face despite her teary eyes.

"Just this once," Severus held up a finger, "and don't let the others know."

"Yes, sir," Hermione said.

Severus smiled before sighing and standing up, walking over to his son's desk.

"I believe we need to move on to your punishment, Miss Granger. After our discussion, I am sure you know exactly why you are being punished?" Severus opened a drawer and pulled out a thick, wooden ruler.

Hermione gulped, saying, "Yes, sir."

"Good," Severus turned around and walked back towards Hermione. "You are not forbidden from crying out, try not to kick back at me, and try not to move too much out of aim. You will receive twelve smacks with the ruler. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Take off your robe and lean over the bed, please."

Hermione slowly did as she was asked, folding her robe and laying it over the end of the bed, placing her wand on the desk. She swallowed as she leaned over the bed, resting up on her elbows, her cheeks tinged red. Severus waited until the young girl has relaxed before stepping up to her side.

"Twelve with ruler," he reminded. "No more, no less."

Hermione nodded.

Severus raised his hand and brought the ruler down sharply. Hermione jumped and gasped with the first one. The second one elicited a yelp from her. By the time she had received all twelve, she was silently crying into the blanket. Severus patted her back twice.

"There, your punishment is over. Your parents will receive a letter letting them know you were caught wandering around past curfew and received appropriate punishment. You will sleep in Harry's room tonight. The bathroom is right outside the door across the hall. You are not to leave this room or my quarters until I personally dismiss you. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione said, her hands itching to reach back and rub.

"Go on, in bed with you," Severus said.

Hermione quickly crawled under the blanket and rested her head on the pillow, deciding to sleep on her stomach that night. Severus nodded, but before extinguishing all the candles, he said, "One more thing, Miss Granger. I will try to lower my expectations of you and remind myself that you are no different than the next child."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks, sir."

"I won't lower them much, mind you," Severus said.

"Yes, sir."

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

* * *

Severus closed the door to Harry's room and performed a time check charm as he slipped the ruler into a sleeve. He had spent nearly fifteen minutes with one child. This was going to be a long night. Severus made his way to Ron, who had resigned to his fate and arranged himself on the couch, fiddling with his wand, his cloak already off and folded on the coffee table. Severus flicked his wrist for another silencing charm.

"Set your wand there, Mr. Weasley," Severus pointed to the coffee table. Ron did as he was told and sat up on the couch, pushing the blanket aside.

"You and I have much to discuss," Severus said, crossing his arms. "After your little adventure last year, I would think you wiser this year. Tell me, how much did you enjoy your late-night adventure?"

"Not very much, sir."

"No? How interesting," Severus tapped his chin with mock interest as he circled the couch, Ron hunching his shoulders as he watched Severus. "A Gryffindor did not enjoy his reckless, daring adventure, which no doubt proved his true chivalry? That is most interesting."

"I wouldn't call it reckless, sir," Ron said, "I mean we did go in with a plan and all."

Severus cuffed the back of Ron's head, pausing behind the couch.

"Watch yourself, Mr. Weasley," Severus warned. "You are in enough trouble as it is. Your cheek will not be tolerated."

"Sorry, sir."

Severus sighed and moved around the couch, sitting on the arm and looking down at Ron.

"You do realize the amount of danger you and the other three put yourselves in tonight, don't you?"

"Yes, sir. I knew the danger before we even left the dorm."

"One of you could have been killed, one of you nearly died tonight – that could have very easily been you, Mr. Weasley. And what if one of you have died, how would you feel right now?"

Ron gulped and his face paled. He looked down at his bare feet, his slippers resting side by side near the coffee table.

"I didn't know what to do, sir," Ron suddenly said, "when Draco got bit, I mean. He was just . . . lying there and . . . his leg was turning black and . . . the snake tried to eat him, but Hermione and I held tight to his arms. He was in so much pain . . . I . . ."

Severus sighed. He was sure the vents of tonight had left all four children traumatized. He was glad Ron wasn't in tears yet as Hermione had been. He wasn't up for four spells of crying children. Severus reached over and patted Ron's back in the same manner as he did for Hermione.

"I understand tonight has been traumatic," Severus said, "and this is exactly why you children should have returned that necklace or at the very least informed an adult of your findings, don't you think?"

"I guess," Ron muttered.

"No," Severus said sternly, grabbing a hold of Ron's chin and turning the boy's head to face him, meeting his eyes. "There will be no guesses here, do you hear me? What you all did was very dangerous. If any one of you had done the right thing, a lot of pain and trouble could have been avoided. You could have been hurt or even killed tonight. You could have been in Draco's shoes. And what if the basilisk had managed to pull Draco away from you and Miss Granger? Your little quartet would be a trio as we speak."

Ron gulped and nodded against Severus's grip. "I understand."

"Do you?" Severus said, releasing Ron and glaring at the boy. "You are very lucky I will not be informing your parents of this escapade, though they will hear that you were at the very least out of bounds tonight. How do you think they would feel if they knew the whole story? If they knew their son nearly died tonight? What of all your brothers? Your little sister?"

"They'd be upset, sir," Ron said, looking down once more.

"Eyes up," Severus scolded. Ron snapped his head up.

"They would be," Severus agreed. "Mortified at the very idea. Would this adventure have been worth it all, then?"

"No, sir," Ron admitted.

Severus huffed, then stood and pulled the ruler from his sleeve.

"Up with you. It's time for your punishment."

Ron gulped and slowly stood.

"You do understand what you are being punished for, correct?"

"Yes, sir. For my reckless actions and the danger, I put myself in tonight."

Severus nodded. "Lean over the arm of the couch. You may cry, try not to kick back at me, and avoid moving too much out of aim. You will receive twelve smacks with the ruler. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Ron said, doing as he had been told. He knew the drill from his own parents, having been on the receiving end of a few at home. He leaned over the arm of the chair, burying his head in his arms.

Twelve smacks and a softly sobbing Ron later, Severus helped pull Ron to his feet and lead him back to the couch where he laid down on his stomach, turning red at the need to do so. Severus returned the ruler to his sleeve.

"You will remain on this couch and in these quarters until I personally dismiss you in the morning. If you need the restroom, the bathroom is down the hall to your right. Goodnight, Mr. Weasley."

"Goodnight, sir," Ron said, trying to hide the fact that he was rubbing his bottom under the blanket. Severus extinguished the lights and headed to see Draco. He paused outside his study door, leaning against it. He was starting to lose his energy from handing out discipline and lecturing children all night. Two more. Just two more. Severus made a quick detour for the kitchen and poured himself another nightcap, noticing the time as well. Almost two-thirty. He had spent thirty minutes dealing with two children. He really just wanted to get in bed and sleep, but he also didn't want to wake up and have two more kids to spank.

Two more, Severus thought. Just two more.

Severus set his drink down and headed back to his study. He slowly opened the door, noting that Draco was sitting in his chair and slumped over his desk, snoring softly. His wand rested near his head. Severus snorted and tapped the boy's shoulder. He wouldn't bother with any silencers, they were in his study which had good soundproofing and most of the kids should be asleep at this point.

Draco groaned and lifted his head, sleepy eyes staring into Severus's.

"Come, sit up," Severus encouraged, helping Draco stand to his feet so he could sit, then pulling the boy into his lap. He pulled Draco's previously bitten leg up. "Let me see your leg. Does it hurt at all?"

"No, Uncle," Draco yawned then yelped as Severus moved his leg around. "Well, it didn't before when Harry used those tears. I walked here just fine."

"I think that was your adrenaline talking. I believe it's a bit sprained but seems to be working otherwise." Severus allowed Draco to lower his legs as he pulled his godson into a tight hug. "Do you have any idea how close to death you came today?"

"I have a pretty good idea," Draco said, closing his eyes and resting his head against Severus. "I'm sorry for what we did tonight, Uncle, honest."

"Hmm," Severus rested his head against Draco's. "When Sam came flying through here saying Harry needed my vial of phoenix tears and that you were injured, my heart stopped. And then he told me where you and the others were, and I knew exactly what must have happened, though impossibly so. I had no idea what to expect or if we'd be too late. You could have died tonight, Draco."

"I know," Draco said, tears in his eyes. "And I'm sorry. I didn't think things would go so bad. Hermione seemed so sure and Harry was . . ."

"I know they are your friends, but any one of you could have informed an adult of this absurd idea. What were you thinking – agreeing along with this?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to help them. They're really the only real friends I have and I just wanted to make sure they'd all be safe."

"By risking your own life, I see," Severus said, raising an eyebrow at Draco.

"I didn't mean for that to happen."

"You never should have been anywhere near the chamber, young man."

"I know, Uncle. It was the stupidest, most foolish thing I've ever done."

"You could say that again," Severus frowned. He sighed and looked at the clock in his study. He still had one more child to get through and he was really tired. "Since you are familiar with this drill, I think you and I should just skip to the punishment. We can talk more in the morning."

"Aww," Draco groaned but stood. "I was almost eaten, isn't that punishment enough?"

"Almost being eaten is a consequence of your silly escapade. This punishment will help drive the message home."

Draco allowed his godfather to pull him over his knees, turning slightly red as the man pulled his bottoms down. He braced himself for the first smack, wincing when it came. He yelped as eleven more were placed on his bare bottom. Severus pulled the ruler from his sleeve.

"You will get four with this," Severus said, tapping Draco's bottom with it. He felt the boy tense on his lap. He raised the ruler and brought it down four times sharply, earning a loud cry each time. Draco sobbed over his lap, muttering his apologies as Severus fixed the boy's pajamas and lifted him up and back on his lap. Draco wrapped his arms around Severus's neck and cried into his shoulder for a couple minutes, calming himself down from his punishment.

"I hope you learned that not all adventures are worth risking your ability to walk for," Severus said. "And one more thing, try not to let those Gryffindors turn you into a lion, my little snakelet."

Draco nodded into his shoulder. "Never gonna happen."

Severus rubbed his back, glancing at the clock once more.

"We should get you something comfier than a desk, shouldn't we?"

"Do you want me to go to my dorm? It's close."

"No, I don't think so," Severus said, staring intently at his desk. Draco turned his head and watched with a smile as the desk shifted and stretched and folded itself into a twin-size bed in the study, the piled of parchment turning into a mattress and the quills becoming a long throw. Severus picked up a loose feather and gave his wrist a flick, transfiguring it into a pillow. He handed it to Draco.

"I love magic," the boy commented.

"Me too, now get in bed," Severus said, kissing Draco's cheek before pushing the boy off his lap and to the bed. Draco crawled into bed, of course, sleeping on his stomach. Severus once more snuffed the candles and shut his study door. He sighed and leaned against the door once more, summoning his nightcap from the kitchen to finish it before dealing with Harry. He had spent nearly forty-five minutes with the other three children. Harry was most likely asleep. Couldn't he just spank his son and lecture him in the morning? That sounded nice.

A white mist flew through the room and landed at his feet, solidifying into a fox-sized Sam. Severus instantly noticed the missing necklace.

"Where is that horrid thing you wear?" Severus asked, glaring at Severus.

 _: Hidden,_ Sam flattened his ears and bared his teeth. _Far away from here. And you and I both know had Harry returned that tooth to me as soon as he knew he had it, none of this would have happened. Everyone could have been asleep in bed hours ago._

"I told you to get rid of it," Severus said, walking toward his bedroom, keeping his voice low since Ron was asleep. Sam walked at his heels, his yellow eyes shining in the dark room.

 _: And you know why I cannot,_ Sam growled. _Now, the children. Are they all soundly punished?_

"All but the one I'm about to do now. Why, care to soundly punish them again?"

 _: I have an idea in mind,_ Sam smirked up at Severus as they both paused outside his bedroom door. _I know this whole incident is off the records, but you wouldn't mind lending the four to me for a few hours, would you? Just so I can make sure they've really learned their lesson?_

"Of course not," Severus said, finishing his nightcap and sending the glass flying back to the kitchen. "They're all yours."

Sam's three tails wagged happily as he gave Severus a sly smile before misting and flying off once more. Severus entered his room, pausing to stare at his sleeping son. He checked the time with his wand one last time, groaned, then stepped up to his bed, laying down his wand next to Harry's on the nightstand. He stood at his bedside, smiling down at the peaceful look on his son's face. Ow he hated to do this, but he really just wanted to get this done and over with.

"Harry," Severus whispered, shaking his son's shoulder.

Harry blinked his eyes open, seeing the time first on the small clock on the nightstand before he yawned and blinked blearily up at his father.

"I hate to do this, but we need to get your punishment done with."

"Now?" Harry asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, now. I certainly don't feel like starting my day smacking your backside. Come on, let's get this over with."

"I'm too tired."

"I'm sure. Fighting a basilisk is no walk through the park."

"I'm sorry about that. We had no idea there was going to be a basilisk. And I didn't steal Sam's tooth."

"No, you didn't," Severus agreed as he pulled Harry to his feet, allowing Harry to balance against him. "But you didn't return it to him either."

"I'm really sorry," Harry said. Severus nodded his head as he sat down on the bed and adjusted Harry at his side. The boy still seemed half-asleep. This wouldn't take long, then they could both retire.

"We'll talk when you're more awake," Severus said, tipping his son over his knees and pulling down the boy's bottoms. He knew Harry woke more when the boy jolted with the first smack. Biting his lip and fighting the weariness he was feeling, Severus quickly laid down twelve hard smacks on Harry's bare bottom before pulling out the ruler. He rubbed Harry's back and said, "you will get four with the ruler, young man."

Harry's loud cries deepened into sobs and Severus had to harden his heart and plant four hard smacks with the ruler. Severus was quick to fix the boy's clothes and stand Harry up, pulling him into a tight embrace to soothe him. He had wanted to hold Harry close since he first heard of where the children were. He squeezed his son warmly.

"I'm really sorry, Dad," Harry said.

"You have no idea how much you scared me," Severus said. "All four of you. Any one of you could have died tonight, do you realize that?"

Harry nodded into his father's shoulder. Severus kissed Harry's temple, then continued rubbing soothing circles on his son's back.

"Everyone probably hates me now," Harry muttered, sneaking a hand back to rub his aching bottom.

"No one hates you," Severus told his son, stopping Harry's hand from rubbing away the punishment, earning a pout from Harry. Severus snorted at the look before giving his son a serious look. "Everyone is concerned about you, as I'm sure you are about them. You all have good, caring hearts. And I'm proud that you did the right thing when Draco ended up hurt on your little escapade. I hope you realize that when something is off limits to you, it is so with good reasoning."

Harry nodded. "I'll never look at that tooth again."

"You've said that before," Severus gave his son a pointed look.

"This time I mean it," Harry said.

"We'll see," Severus smiled, tapping Harry's bottom for assurance. Harry whined, the slight tap hurt his stinging bottom. Severus smirked, then kissed Harry's forehead. He rested their foreheads together, feeling the exhaustion of dealing out four smackings and dealing with emotional adolescents catch up to him. "We can discuss the rest of your punishment in the morning. For now, you and I are both tired."

"What do you mean the rest of my punishment?" Harry frowned.

"Tomorrow," Severus insisted, lifting and depositing Harry on the large king-sized bed. He walked over to his wardrobe and pulled off his robe, hanging it on a knob.

"I thought we weren't having detention or anything," his son pestered.

"You're not," Severus yawned, walking back to his bed and shoving Harry over as he settled in bed himself. He closed his eyes. "Sam would like to instill some discipline in you children himself. I'm allowing him."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, having the audacity to crawl to Severus's side and shake his shoulder lightly. "What is he going to do? He's not going to burn us all alive, is he?"

"I guess you'll just have to find out. Now go to sleep. It's been a long night for you."

"I can't. My bum hurts and my head is paranoid."

Severus snorted, offering a small smile. He ignored his son staring down at him, choosing to keep his eyes closed and show the boy he wasn't giving in. Harry sighed and curled up against him, resting his head against Severus's shoulder. Severus smiled and wrapped an arm around his son, sneaking one last kiss to the boy's head.

* * *

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	24. The Hatching

This story has really strayed from where I originally tended to take it. I guess that's why professionals' say rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite before publishing. Oh well, I'll just have to make it work. Thank you all for sticking with me through this story. I apologize for the long wait. I had to rearrange a lot of chapter notes and ideas for this story. Enjoy!

* * *

Harry yawned and stretched as he sat up on his father's bed. Last night's memories rushed to the front of his brain and Harry blushed, knowing his friends were most likely waking. He glanced over at the other side of the bed: empty. Standing, Harry dressed for the day in lounge robes and exited his father's room.

Ron was fixing the couch, folding the blanket and laying it over an arm of the sofa. Draco walked out of the bathroom – his hair perfect and robes smoothed. Hermione came out of Harry's room also ready for the day, her bushy hair betraying the long brushing it had received. Everyone made eye contact, then blushed and looked away.

"Children," Severus's voice sounded from the dining table.

Everyone shuffled their way over to Severus, standing with heads sown and arms behind their backs. Severus eyed everyone from where he sat at the head of the table, his eyes narrowing. "Shoes, Mr. Weasley?"

"Oh, sorry," Ron ran back to the couch and slipped on his shoes.

"I hope you all understand just how dangerous and idiotic your little escapade was last night," Severus scolded. "In all my years of teaching, never have I seen such reckless behavior in my students. Your parents have all written back and none of them are pleased, but they have all accepted that you four have been punished for your crimes. You will never act in such an imprudent way again, are we clear?"

"Yes sir," everyone chorused.

"Sit down at your respective seat."

Everyone looked for their addressed letter, Harry sitting down at his father's right side as usual. Hermione sat next to him, opening the letter that rested next to her plate and blushing, a teary expression taking over her face. Ron sat across from Hermione on the other side, opening his letter and wincing, biting his lip. Draco sat at Severus's left next to Ron, hesitantly picking up his letter and opening it. His eyes scanned the letter, then the blonde set it face down and looked away. Harry did not have a letter, but he could feel his father's stern eyes on him, and he avoided looking at the man.

"I am sorry about last night," Harry offered, staring intently at his empty plate.

"We all are," Hermione said, inciting nods from the other two boys.

"I would hope so," Severus snapped. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I accept your apologies. Now, let enjoy breakfast."

Platters of scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast appeared. Severus dished up some eggs and passed it to Harry, who helped himself and passed the dish along, repeating with the other two platters until everyone was served. Mugs of orange juice appeared for the children while Severus had a morning cup of coffee. Everyone ate in silence, occasionally glancing at one another as if hoping for someone to break the silence.

"So . . ." Harry began after eating his fill. "Are we all free to go after this?"

"Yes," Severus answered, opening his paper to read.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Harry frowned.

"I thought you said Sam had some kind of punishment for us?"

Ron choked on his dry toast, Draco spluttered his juice, and Hermione's fork clattered on her plate.

"That's what he told me," Severus said. He paper did not move. "However, I have not seen him, so as far as I'm concerned, you four may leave."

Harry frowned, looking over at Draco, who shrugged and finished his juice.

"Err, if it's okay," Harry pushed his chair back, everyone following his lead, "I think we'll go now."

"Do not forget your wands and stay out of trouble," Severus said.

"Yes, Dad," Harry said.

"Yes, sir," he other three chorused.

Harry went back to his father's room, knowing he had left his wand on the nightstand. Except his wand was not there. Looking behind the nightstand and under it, Harry frowned, sure that that was where he put it. He crawled under the bed but did not see his wand. In the bed? Harry moved the blanket around and lifted the pillow. His wand was not there.

"Dad!" he called out. "Have you seen my wand?"

"Mine, too!" Draco's voice yelled.

That was a strange coincidence, Harry thought, exiting the bedroom. Ron was looking under the couch, feeling around. Harry walked toward the study, pausing to glance in his own bedroom. Hermione was looking under the bed, but her attention didn't seem to be on searching for her wand. Instead, her hand was touching the golden, blue-dappled egg. Harry looked into the study.

Draco was digging through his father's desk.

"I don't think Dad would have put it in his drawers," Harry said. "You better shut those."

"Where else would it be?" Draco slammed the drawers shut. "I put it on the desk when Uncle Sev changed the bed back. It was right here. I don't misplace things, I know it was right here."

"I think I know what's up," Harry said, dragging Draco by the arm out to the dining room. Severus had set down the paper and was sipping his coffee contently, watching the children. "Ron," Harry called, waving the boy over to him. Hermione curiously paused by the boys as well.

Severus raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Are you playing a trick on us?" Harry asked, crossing his arms. Draco frowned at his uncle. Ron looked surprised and Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"No," Severus said, setting his cup down. "But he might be."

Severus pointed and the four followed his finger, looking behind them at the fox sitting on the couch, four wands in his mouth. The four gasped and Harry stepped toward the snarling fox warily, reaching out.

"Sam . . . can we have our wands? Please?"

Harry's fingers brushed the smooth wood of a wand when Sam leaped off the couch, running for the door which opened and shut behind the fox. Harry spun around in time to see Severus set his wand down.

"Hey, you helped him get away."

"I guess I did," Severus said. "But if I were you four, I'd be trying to get my wand back before the fox breaks it. Which he has threatened to do in the past."

Eyes widening, the four children rushed out the door, running down the hall and following the white tips of the three-tails. They ran up a flights of stairs before nearly colliding with a professor.

"Professor McGonagall," Hermione greeted, glancing around the professor. The four tried to move around her, but Minerva stopped them, clearing her throat for their attention.

"There you four are," she scolded, "I hope you learned a very valuable lesson about the importance of following school rules, and I am not finished."

The four groaned impatiently as they looked around Minerva, trying to see which way Sam went.

"Going down that chamber without so much as a second thought was exceedingly dangerous and you four should have been expelled. You are very lucky the Headmaster allowed Professor Snape to handle your punishments or you would all be on the train going home this instant."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione nodded, slipping around the teacher.

"That's all very nice," Draco added.

"We certainly learned our lesson," Ron said.

"Okay, bye." Harry finished, and the four ran down the hall.

"Are you sure Severus punished you?" Minerva asked, watching the children run away. She called out, "You're not acting very chastised." She huffed and continued down the stairs. "Where is that man?"

The four kids turned the corner and looked around. Sam could have gone anywhere. Hermione glanced in the Great Hall, noting that some students were still finishing up breakfast. Hermione closed the door. Draco checked several other doors but saw no sign of the fox in the empty rooms. Ron shouted in alarm, pointing toward the main entrance doors.

Sam was standing at the entrance, watching the kids, wands still caught in his jaws, his ears alert. When everyone spotted him, he flicked his three tails, ears flattening, and slipped through the ajar door.

The kids ran after him, running outside into the chilly fall air. Sam ran across the grounds, pausing at the top of a hill, where he dropped the wands at his feet. The kids panted as they approached the fox, finally glad to have caught him.

"Very funny, Sam," Harry said, reaching for the wands. "Now give us our wands."

When his fingers touched the wood, the wands vanished in a puff of air. Harry yanked his hand back, realization hitting him.

"An illusion! Where are our wands?"

 _: Hidden,_ Sam barked, sitting down, curling his three tails around himself. _Only I know where they are._

"Then take us to them," Draco glared, crossing his arms.

 _: How about instead, you drop down and give me twenty,_ Sam growled, teeth bared and ears flat.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, wondering if Sam was serious. Draco and Ron blinked.

 _: Now,_ Sam barked, standing once more.

Hearing the seriousness in Sam's tone, Harry and Hermione lowered themselves to the grass, glad they weren't in school uniforms.

"Twenty what?" Draco gave Sam a sideways look.

"I only have four sickles," Ron said, digging through his robe pocket.

Sam tilted his head at the boys, his ears lifting in amusement.

"Psst," Harry hissed and motioned to the ground, raising himself up in a press-up stance. "Like this."

"We're doing press-ups," Hermione said.

"I'm not getting on the ground," Draco said.

Sam snarled and took another step.

Draco and Ron both dropped down by Harry and Hermione. Sam snorted and sat once more.

 _: Twenty. Go._

They all began doing press-ups, their arms starting to shake by number eight as they were not used to performing such exercises daily. Even with Harry's Quidditch practices, workouts were never more intense than a brief stretch and warm up. Twenty press-ups later, all four fell into the grass, the morning dew damping their robes.

 _: On your backs,_ Sam ordered. _V's, go._

Harry blinked, trying to remember what V's were. He had a few yoga lessons with Sam, but the fox didn't name what he was doing, and Harry just copied him. Hermione saved them all as she rolled on her back, slowly raised her legs up to the sky, lifting her hips off the grass. She then reached for her toes, held the pose, then lowered her legs and arms back down, never touching the grass. The boys copied her, repeating the V's until Sam spoke once more.

 _: Roll back over, plank_.

Everyone held a plank pose, the shaking in their arms slowly spreading over the rest of their body as they held the pose for a long minute. Harry looked up at Sam, wondering when he'd let the out of the pose.

 _: Downward dog._

Everyone pushed up into a downward dog, Harry glad to get some weight off his arms and chest, throwing his weight back and forth between his toes and hands as he held the new stance. Sam walked under everyone, adjusting them as he saw fit by nudging their legs out or hands forward. After another long minutes, Sam spoke.

 _: Up. Mountain pose._

Everyone stood tall, holding their hands at their side palm out. Sam paced in front of them, eyeing everyone. A smirk spread across his lips as he flicked an ear at the kids.

 _: Time for a mile run_.

Later that same morning, the four kids collapsed on the sofa in Severus's quarters, Sam trotting contently over to Severus, who stepped out of his lab to greet Sam with a smirk.

"Long morning, children?" Severus asked. "Did you get your wands back?"

"No," Harry said through pants. "Sam said we had to come back here for one more exercise, then he'll give us our wands back. Please Dad, we're tired. We ran around the entire Quidditch pitch twice, did a whole bunch of press-ups, and even marched all the way back here. We get it, we won't ever touch that dragon tooth again. Can you make him give us our wands back?"

The other three nodded, still rubbing their arms and stretching certain muscles that should not be hurting right now. Sweat dripped down their brows and they chugged the glasses of water that appeared before them.

"No," Severus said, crossing his arms as he stopped in front of the sofa. "I want to explain something to you four. That tooth is pure dark magic. However, it can be used for good as long as you can resist the temptation the tooth offers and learn to control it, which is something Sam has mastered. What you did was very reckless and dangerous. Sam has informed me that while he has hidden the tooth far away from the castle it may try to reach out to one of you again in an attempt to be used for evil. You are to inform him if anything like that ever occurs. This is no joking matter. You have awakened a part of the tooth that had for years been dead. Do not give in to the temptation of using it for such silly adventures like the one you had last night. Understand?"

 _: This is very important,_ Sam added, sitting next to Severus. _I know it will try again to get to you. The magical part that has reawakened is destructive, addicting, and very deadly. It is the magic that you read about in that book you found. After years of being under my control, the tooth has absorbed some light magic. I cannot allow it to turn back to what it was._

"We understand," Hermione said.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I had it," Harry said. "And for using it."

 _: You are forgiven,_ Sam smiled at Harry. _All of you._

"And," Severus reached into an inner robe pocket and pulled out four wands. "You may have your wands back. I hope you all learned your lesson from Sam."

"I learned it last night from you," Harry said, taking his wand.

"And I would have taken a second smacking over Sam's labor any day," Draco muttered.

"Is that so, Draco?" Severus raised challenging eyes at Draco, holding the wand away when Draco reached for his.

"I think you misunderstood me," Draco said. "What I said was I learned a very valuable lesson from Mister Ishimuri-san. Arigatou." Draco gave a small bow toward Sam.

 _: Gaki,_ Sam said, giving an ear an amused flick. Draco grinned, knowing that word well.

Severus allowed Draco to take the wand.

"You four are free to go now," Severus said. "Lunch is in a couple hours. Do whatever you please until then but stay out of trouble. Professor McGonagall already thinks you weren't punished hard enough. Do not make me reapply last night's discipline."

Everyone blushed.

"I think I forgot something in Harry's room," Hermione suddenly said, jumping up and making her way over to Harry's room.

"I'll help you find it," Draco offered.

"Yeah, me too," Ron said.

"Me three," Harry said, following.

"Wait," Severus frowned. "You're all going to Harry's room? What on earth are you looking for? The door stays open!"

The kids entered Harry's room, watching Hermione crawl under the bed and pull out the shiny egg still wrapped in the girl's cloak. They all sat in a circle facing each other.

"It's really warm," she said. "It was shaking this morning."

"What if it hatches?" Draco asked. "In Harry's room? We won't be able to hide whatever it is from Uncle Sev. Anything babi is loud, whiny, and smelly. He'll notice that."

"We have to sneak it out before it hatches," Hermione said. "I think it'll hatch soon."

"And take it where?" Ron asked.

"I'm sure it'll be okay in Gryffindor Tower."

"Are you crazy? What if it's something really dangerous? I mean, has anyone considered how the egg ended up in the chamber in the first place?"

"Who cares, Ron? It's safe now."

"I'm sure it was safe before," Draco said. "Ron is right. We can't leave that monster just anywhere. What if it's a creature that needs constant supervision?"

"There's four of us," Hermione said. "We'll work it out."

The golden egg shook in Hermione's hand. She hissed and dropped it. "It's hot," she said.

The egg rolled away a bit as it continued to shake. Then a crack appeared.

"Oh no," Harry said. "Quick, grab it. This cannot hatch in my room."

Hermione threw her cloak over the egg and scooped it up, cradling it. Harry peeked out in the living room. Sam was asleep in his dog bed. Severus was nowhere to be seen. He waved his hand, motioning the others to follow. They slowly inched their way to the door, hushing each other at the slightest noise.

"Going somewhere?" Severus asked, stepping out of his bedroom, leaning against the door frame. He narrowed his eyes at the children. "You seem like you're up to something."

"Nothing, Dad," Harry said. "We're going back to our tower."

"And you?" Severus pointed at Draco.

"Who says a Slytherin can't go into the lion's den?" Draco answered.

With that, the children ran out the door and away from Severus's quarters, leaving a dumbstruck Severus behind.

The four made it to a secluded corner of a hallway in the dungeons when Hermione yelped in pain and dropped the egg as it burned her once more. The egg hit the ground with a sickening crack, but it seemed okay as it rolled away a bit. The blue dapples glowed against the gold shell of the egg. The crack began to spread, growing into more cracks, expanding like a spider web. Then, the shell exploded, pieces flying everywhere. The kids shrieked as they were showered with eggshell bits. In the shattered egg's place was a small griffin.

The children awed.

The puppy sized animal shook its head and blinked up at them with bright amber eyes, its black tipped beak opening slightly. It pushed itself on it's four large paws, wobbling unsteadily before falling on its face with a grunt. It sat up, shaking it's tail off its head, its tiny wings stretching out.

"Well," Draco wiped shell off his robes. "Griffins are known for dramatic births. I guess this is what they meant."

"She's beautiful," Hermione said.

"She'll fit right in with Gryffindor Tower," Ron said.

"Who says it's a girl?" Harry frowned. "Maybe it's a boy."

"Who's checking?" Draco said.

"Not it," all three boys said simultaneously.

Hermione huffed. "Girls must do everything, huh?" She stepped closer to the griffin, reaching out a hand to it as she spoke softly to it. "Hi, there. Aren't you cute? I'm Hermione. What do you think, hmm?"

The griffin sniffed at her hand before trying to stand once more, cooing at her. It managed to find its balance, but when it attempted to take a step, it stumbled and fell into Hermione's arms. The boys laughed while Hermione picked up the baby and cradled it as so, scratching it behind an ear. The griffin purred, closing its eyes.

"Congratulations, guys," she said, turning with the griffin in her arms. "It's a boy."

The three circled Hermione, smiling down at the griffin gnawing on its own tail.

* * *

Totally a surprise to me as well. Like I said, different direction with the story, but I hope you are all enjoying it.

Ishimuri-san – Mr. Ishimuri. Otherwise, a polite way to address someone.

Arigatou – Thank you (informal).

Gaki – brat.


	25. How to Raise Your Griffin

I am so sorry for such a long wait. You would think that having so many different projects going on, you'd be able to write a page or two for one of them. Nope, I had such severe writer's block, I couldn't think of how to progress any of my stories. Sigh. I hope this lengthy chapter makes up for the long wait. I am always doing my best to write and update as quickly as I can. Hang in there with me.

* * *

"So," Harry said as he frowned down at the baby griffin purring in Hermione's arms, its tawny ears flicking contently. "What do we do now?"

Hermione gently scratched the griffin behind an ear. "We can't just leave him. And we certainly can't put him back. How would he have gotten in the chamber in the first place?"

"Griffins usually nest in high places," Draco said, "like trees or cliffs. They have to keep their eggs warm—anything too cold or damp would kill the egg."

"Then how would his egg end up in that chamber?"

"Maybe someone put it down there," Ron suggested. "Someone else must know how to get down there. His egg wasn't that cold either, so whoever did it must have done it pretty recently."

"But why would anyone have a griffin egg?" Draco said. "They are a classification XXXX because they're endangered. And wild ones can be dangerous."

"I remember Uncle Sirius talking about a Wizard Black Market he was going undercover for." Harry frowned in thought. "Something about selling dark artifacts and magical creatures for a lot of money. I wonder if someone here may be involved in that."

"That's a big accusation, Harry," Hermione said. "Who would do such a thing?"

Draco scoffed and said, "Hagrid."

"He would not!"

"He had a dragon last year! And those are illegal. Just think – he's most likely trained to handle griffins, and he was nearly caught with that dragon last year. Obviously, this time he's learned to be more secretive."

"Draco might be right," Ron said.

Everyone stared at the redhead, who glared and said, "What? I said 'might be.' Think about it – no one else would be dumb enough to try and raise another dangerous beast. After what Hagrid did last year, it seems like the most logical explanation."

"Seems like another big accusation," Hermione said. The small griffin yawned before curling up in Hermione's arms. Hermione smiled and stroked its feathers. "I think it's nap time. Where will he stay? Should we take him to Hagrid's? He'd at least be the most likely to know how to care for him."

"No." Harry shook his head. "We don't know if Hagrid is the one who brought the griffin here. I mean, how would've he have gotten the egg down into the chamber? Besides, it's just a baby. Hagrid might mean well, but . . ." Harry didn't want to say anything insulting about his half-giant friend. The other three seemed to understand him regardless as they nodded their head.

"Good point," Hermione said.

The sound of students in the hall made all four kids jump, the griffin stirring in Hermione's arms, giving a loud coo as its ears perked up.

"We should get out of the hallway," Draco said.

"Let's go to the tower," Ron suggested.

Hermione used her cloak to cover the griffin in her arms. Together, they made their way up to Gryffindor tower, the small griffin asleep in Hermione's arms. They paused right in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, Draco clearing his throat.

"I'll just wait here for you guys," he said.

"You've joined us this far, might as well as come in," Hermione encouraged.

"But – that's the Gryffindor tower! I'm a Slytherin!"

"He has a point," Ron frowned. "Would the Fat Lady even let him in?"

"Why, of course, dearies," the Fat Lady spoke smiling down at them. "Until six pm, students may spend time in different common rooms if allowed entry by a student of the respective house."

"Really?" Ron blinked. "Huh. I never knew that."

"Let's get inside before people start asking questions," Harry said, pushing Draco toward the portrait. He gave the password as he did so. "Wattlebird."

The Fat Lady swung open and the four kids entered the common room. Harry led the way to the second-year boys' dorm room, noticing how several students did doubletakes upon seeing Draco.

"Oy," an older student called to the group. "You can't let Slytherins infiltrate our tower."

"We'll just be in our dorm studying," Ron said quickly, blocking the covered griffin in Hermione's arm as they made a run for the stairs that led to the dorms.

The four kids ran to the second-year dormitory and shut the door, glad to find the room empty. Harry dumped everything out of his suitcase and made a makeshift bed out of it, throwing in a spare blanket. Hermione set the griffin in the suitcase. The little baby sniffed around, kneading the blanket.

"Now what?" she asked.

"We can't keep it here forever," Draco said. "Someone's gonna find it. I give it three days."

"I give it twenty minutes," Ron said, crossing his arms. "We should find it a new home."

"We should find out how it got here in the first place," Harry said, catching the griffin as it jumped out of the suitcase. He set the griffin back in the bed, covering it with the blanket "Someone put that egg down there. There's no other way it could have gotten down there."

"But who else would know how to get down to that chamber?" Hermione questioned. "It took the magic of the tooth for us to get down there. What if there's another way down to it? We should check for other entrances."

"Is everyone forgetting the huge monster snake that tried to eat us?" Ron asked.

"It's dead now," Draco said. He frowned. "I think."

"We don't have to go back inside," Hermione said, grabbing the griffin as it crawled out of the suitcase once more. It cooed as she laid the baby on its back and swaddled it in the blanket. The baby wriggled in the snug confines, using its beak to gnaw on the fabric, its tuft ears wiggling. Hermione looked at the others. "We just have to know how someone could have gotten down there without access to the bathroom sink."

"I don't think going back to the chamber is a good idea," Harry said, wincing from the memory of his punishment. The others looked down, cheeks reddening. "But we could keep our eyes out for anyone acting suspicious."

"Like they've lost something," Hermione nodded. "We can do that. Tomorrow when classes start up again, we will observe the teachers closely. "Tomorrow, Harry, Ron, and I have Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology together, so that covers McGonagall, Lockhart, and Sprout."

"I share Herbology with you guys," Draco said, "but I have Charms and History of Magic. I'm pretty sure we can cross out Binns as a suspect, but I'll observe Flitwick."

"This is all great," Harry said, "but we can't really leave the baby here alone while we are all in class. And what do baby griffins eat?"

"Err, Draco?" Hermione looked to the blonde.

Draco shrugged. "I only know what I read from the children's edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I never got the actual book. And the kids edition didn't go into much detail. All it said was that the mother feeds the baby for like . . . two weeks. And then both parents feed it. Not sure what that means exactly."

Hermione kneeled in front of the suitcase and studied the griffin's beak, the little animal still wriggling in the blanket. Hermione frowned. "We could ask Hagrid . . ."

Suddenly, a white mist flew into the room. The kids gasped and quickly blocked Hermione from view, Hermione shoving the suitcase behind her as she plopped on the floor. The mist solidified into fox-sized Sam, who landed on the bed and tucked his tails against his side.

 _: I hear you four are feeling reenergized since your morning exercises_ , Sam said, smirking and flicking the tips of his tails.

"Whoever told you that?" Harry smiled innocently.

 _: Your father told me you four ran out of his quarters like hounds after a rabbit. Did you have an important event to attend? In this dorm?_

"Something like that."

A small sneeze startled the three boys. Sam's ears perked and he looked past the boys and down at Hermione, who's eyes had doubled in size.

"Sorry," she said, sniffing and rubbing at her nose. "I think I've come down with a cold. Achoo."

"Really?" Ron asked through gritted teeth.

 _: Probably from going down into that awful chamber,_ Sam said, his ears pivoting sideways. _You should see Madam Pomfrey for that before it turns into something worse. You would not want to catch pneumonia or the chills._

"Yeah, I'll do that right away," Hermione said. She remained where she sat, however.

 _: Your Uncle Sirius is here_ , Sam said, redirecting his attention to Harry. _He'd like to see you before he leaves again._

"He's here? That's great! Umm, guys?" Harry looked at his friends, raising his brows. "Will you be okay?" he mouthed to them.

"You go, Harry," Hermione said, the boys nodding. "We'll be fine."

Harry nodded and followed Sam out of the dorm, running down to his father's quarters. He hadn't seen Sirius since his birthday party. As he entered his father's apartments, he ran right into Sirius's arms, hugging his uncle.

"Hey, tiger cub," Sirius ruffled his godson's hair, his other hand holding on to something. "Long time, no see. How are you doing in your studies?"

"Great! I've missed you."

"And I've missed you, kiddo." Sirius pulled back from the hug and smirked at Harry. "I heard about your little adventure last night. You must have had quite the weekend."

Harry blushed, ignoring the smirk Sam was throwing him from his dog bed.

"Dad told you," Harry stated more than asked.

"He told me everything," Sirius said, noting the boy's embarrassed look, "everything but what your punishment was."

"Oh." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "This weekend was a little crazy."

"Battling a basilisk is just a little crazy? I'd hate to see your definition of exhilarating. I'm surprised you've managed to find yourself so much trouble so early in the school year. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked, given your track record. You couldn't even give it a week, could you?"

"What do you mean 'my track record?'" Harry frowned. "I'm usually very good."

"'Usually' meaning twenty-five percent of the year? Why, yes, you are."

"Uncle." Harry smiled.

"I'm kidding. To be honest, I would have found myself very interested in Sam's tooth necklace myself." Sirius opened his hand to reveal the dragon tooth necklace. Harry blinked. "The magic this artifact displays is impressive and unstudied. It could inspire new ways of controlling and directing energy and spells. Extraordinary."

"Why do you have it?" Harry asked.

"I asked to see it."

"And Sam just gave it to you?"

 _: Sirius is not the first to have interest in my necklace nor ask me directly to check it out. And he is a trained Auror, not a mischievous child._

Sirius reached down and draped the necklace over Sam's neck, the fox shaking out his fur to drop the necklace to its place on his chest.

"I apologized for that," Harry said.

 _: Yes, you have. Twice._

"Right." Harry winced at the reminder of how many times he disobeyed Sam's order of leaving the necklace be. Then he frowned in thought. "Who else asked you directly to see the necklace. I don't believe Dad has ever done so."

 _: An old wizard friend from years back._

"Let me guess," Sirius said, "the one who broke you out of prison?"

 _: Exactly._

Sirius snorted, shaking his head. He smiled down at Harry. "So, you were attacked by black mambas, went on an adventure to the Chamber of Secrets with your friends, and defeated a basilisk brought back to life, and you didn't think to owl me? You know I'm a sucker for a good story!"

"Sorry, Uncle Sirius, but it's been so crazy!"

"I know, and I've missed all the fun. I remember when it was you and I who would do all the crazy things in this school, but it looks like you've upped the game with your friends."

Harry and Sirius sat on the couch in the living room and chatted for a while. Harry told Sirius everything that had happened from the beginning, only leaving out the griffin. Sirius asked questions throughout, wanting to understand how the tooth worked exactly. Sam took over in some places to explain that the tooth was alive in its own way, a dark object capable of using its magic to gain more power. Sirius found it exciting while they ate lunch a house elf delivered to them.

"That is something. And you are comfortable wearing it?"

 _: My father once told me that our greatest strengths are revealed by the temptations we resist. By wearing this and using it only for good, I am greater than the magic contained inside it._

"Wow, that's pretty deep." Sirius nodded his head to Sam. "And respectable. Bravo to you, Sam."

 _: For now, unfortunately, I will have to hide it far away. It is clearly on a power-hungry spree. I must isolate it, so it is unable to use its magic on those around the school and grow in strength. With time and resistance, it'll weaken._

"Is it that late already? I must get back to work before three o'clock. It was nice talking to you, Harry. I hope we can do this again soon. Tell your father I said hello, will you?"

"Okay," Harry said, standing as Sirius jumped to his feet and brushed himself off.

"By the way, swiped this for you," Sirius said, winking as he handed Harry his _Ivanhoe_ book. "You're still grounded for another couple more days, right? I doubt your father even remembers it. And if he does, rat me out."

Harry laughed as he took the book and pocketed it. "Thanks." Harry's eyes widened as he remembered something. "Hey, Uncle Siri, how much would a griffin cost?"

"Why, you want one?" Sirius smiled. "I don't think they'd make good pets."

"What makes you say that?" Harry couldn't help but ask, a bit sidetracked. He bit his lip as he waited for an answer.

"Well, they're always hungry and they love getting into mischief."

"Sounds like Sam."

Everyone laughed, including Sam.

"Yes, well, Sam is fifty times smaller than a griffin," Sirius said.

"Well, say someone wanted to sell a griffin egg or baby," Harry said redirecting to his original thought process. "How much would they cost?"

"Hmm," Sirius tapped his chin in thought, "considering their conservation status as endangered and the supposed healing ability of its beak and talons, I suppose a baby could be anywhere from five hundred to eight hundred galleons. Capture a full-grown griffin and you're looking at easily two thousand galleons at least."

"That's a lot of money."

"Yes, well, if anyone buys a griffin, hopefully it's a magizoologist looking to help the species and not some crook looking to stuff it."

"Yeah. Umm, do you know what a baby griffin eats?"

"Raw meat, I would assume. That's what the adult eats. Why all these questions? You're not in Care of Magical Creatures yet."

"Just curious. Thanks for the answers."

"Anytime. Got all your homework done?"

"Err . . . yes?"

"From what you've told me about your weekend, I would say no. Now go get that done. Run along."

Harry was quick to leave his father's quarters and run for Hogwarts kitchen. He surprised the house elves with his appearance and shocked them with his request.

"Can I have a bowl of raw meat, please?"

A house elf blinked at him before giving him some raw beef.

"I's not advise eating it," she told Harry.

"I won't. It's for a . . . project. Thanks."

Harry took as many secluded halls as he could so as not to run into anyone. He gave the Fat Lady the password and made his way up to his dorm, ignoring curious stares. He entered the dorm and slammed the door shut behind him with a bowl of meat. He winced at the loud, screeching cries he was greeted with.

Hermione was trying to rock the screaming griffin while Draco was buried in a thick book. Ron was trying to offer leftover turkey sandwiches to the baby, who refused to even sniff it. Neville was also in the room, flipping through another book, wearing the earmuffs from herbology. Everyone looked up at him.

"Oh good, you're back," Hermione said, her face tense. "He's been crying all afternoon. We've been trying to look up what baby griffins eat but there's not a lot of information on this species." Harry looked at Neville, and Hermione said, "He showed up. He's helping us look stuff up. He promised not to tell."

Neville gave Harry a thumbs up and Harry smiled before rushing across the room to the baby with the bowl of meat. "How could I not hear him in the common room?"

"Silencing spell," Ron said. "You get quite good at them when you live in a loud house like mine."

"I asked Uncle Sirius, and he thinks they eat raw meat," Harry said. He made a face as he picked up a gross strand and held it over the baby. "I hope he likes this."

The baby sniffed at the meat and there was blissful silence for three whole seconds. The baby pulled its head away and screamed again, sounding like a cackling eagle. Ron and Draco put earmuffs on. Hermione sniffed and her eyes were watery. "We have to go to Hagrid," Hermione said.

"What if he doesn't even know what the babies eat? Or even have whatever that is? Then what?"

"I don't know, I don't know." Hermione shook her head and thrust her arms out. "Here."

Harry accepted the griffin, but its cries hurt his ears and he quickly shoved it to Draco.

"Hold him for a minute," he said, "I'll be right back."

"Wait!" Draco called, holding the baby out by its armpits. He frowned as the griffin continued to cry. "Harry! You're ditching us again!"

Harry ran out the dorm, quickly shutting the door behind him. He was going to run all the way down to Hagrid's if that's what he had to do. As he stepped out of the entrance, he nearly ran right into McGonagall, who had been talking to Ginny.

"Watch where you are going, Mr. Snape," McGonagall said, frowning at him.

"Sorry, Professor." Harry was about to run off when he looked back up at his teacher. "Out of curiosity, would you know what baby griffins eat?"

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at Harry while Ginny blinked, tightening her hold around a book she was clutching to her chest.

"Why would you want to know such information?" McGonagall asked.

"Trivia," Harry said, smiling. It was the first thing that came to mind. "We're all playing trivia inside and no one knows the answer to that question. So, I thought I'd go ask Hagrid. Unless you know?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to see Hagrid about that one," McGonagall said. "Carry on. And have a good day, Miss Weasley. Remember what we talked about."

McGonagall walked away, disappearing into her office. Harry looked at Ginny. "What were you talking about?"

"Just stuff," Ginny said, shrugging her shoulders. "Why do you really want to know about griffins?"

"Like I said, trivia." Harry forced a smile, but Ginny didn't look impressed. His smile faded and he grew uncomfortable, so he turned away. "I have to go see Hagrid."

As Harry walked down the hall, face burning, he heard Ginny say, "They drink milk."

Harry froze. He turned back around and tilted his head at Ginny, frowning. She shrugged again and said, "For the first two weeks, the mumma nurses the gryphlets."

"How do you know that?" Harry said, walking back over to Ginny.

She shrugged again, then lowered the book she was holding away from her chest. The title: _Dragons and Thestrals and Puffs, Oh My!_ Harry took the offered book and flipped through, scanning the many handwritten notes in the margins. He looked at Ginny.

"It was a birthday gift from Charlie," Ginny said. "He used it like a journal. His notes and what's already written provide a lot of information about different animals he's had the chance to work with."

"I thought Ron said he was a dragonologist."

"He is, but when tracking dragons and studying their population and habitats, you encounter other animals, too."

"I see." Harry handed Ginny the book back. "And griffins nurse their young? But what about the beak? I don't understand how that would work."

Ginny flipped to a page halfway through the book. "It says here that the mothers have mammary glands like whales. So, when the babies bump against her teats, it stimulates the gland to squirt milk into the baby's open mouth. She does that for the first two weeks of life and will then graduate them to regurgitated meat."

"That's a lot of information," Harry said, making a face at the last bit. That wasn't happening. He wondered what they would do if it got to that point.

"You asked."

"I did. Does it say anything about orphaned babies?"

"It might if you let me see it."

"It might if . . . there's nothing to show you!"

"Please?" Ginny stubbornly closed her book and held it to her chest once more, giving Harry a puppy-eyed face.

Harry knew there was no point in denying the griffin's existence to Ginny at this point. He sighed and nodded his head. Ginny smiled brightly and opened her book back up, scanning her brother's notes. "Charlie and his group came across a half-starved fledgling that had fallen out of its nest and got stuck in mud. The parents couldn't get into the small space between the rocks to save him. So, Charlie rescued it and they fed it – aha, ". . . goat milk because of it low levels of lactose and high levels of potassium that makes it very similar to griffin milk. Once the little one was full, we climbed up the mountain and returned it to its nest where Mum and Dad happily greeted it." So, goat milk."

"That's sweet," Harry commented. "We're going to need a lot of goat milk. Do you think this school serves that?"

"Of course! It helps the students who can't handle cow's milk. We could go to the kitchen and get milk right now. Come on!"

Ginny and Harry ran down to the kitchens, where the house elves gave the two suspicious looks.

"We need goat milk," Ginny announced.

A house elf rolled his eyes and gave her a milk bottle with the requested milk.

"We're going to need a lot more than this." Harry tapped the bottle.

With another roll of his eyes, the house elf picked up two gallons of goat milk. "Just hit milk bottle with spoon or something when yous is needing more. I's send these to yous dorm. Here is a bottle nipple."

Ginny accepted the bottle nipple and watched as the elf snapped his fingers at the gallons of milk and they disappeared. She looked at Harry, who gulped and asked, "You know?"

"We sees all, Mr. Snape and Miss Weasley. But we won't tell unless it is a danger."

"Well, thanks!" Harry said, pulling Ginny along to leave the kitchen.

They ran back up to Gryffindor Tower, Harry pausing to breathe halfway up the stairs. He had done an awful lot of running today. Ginny waited for him, then they continued. They arrived back to the Tower and Ginny followed Harry to the boy's second year dormitory.

"Oy," an older student called to them. "What are you kids doing, having a party?"

Harry was unsure what he had meant until he opened the door to his dorm, finding Hermione, Ron, Draco, Neville, Dean, and Seamus all sitting in a circle on the floor, the baby swaddled in the suitcase gnawing on the tuft of his tail while everyone caught up on homework.

"What did you get for the fourth question on the Charms assignment?" Draco asked Hermione. She tiredly held up her parchment. Draco nodded. "Me too."

"Can I check mine?" Ron asked. He studied Hermione's answer. "I didn't get that at all."

"Are you guys okay?" Harry asked, walking toward them with the milk bottle. Ginny smiled at the baby.

"We're fine," Hermione said, looking up. She frowned at the milk. "He drinks milk?"

"Yep. Goat's milk since we don't have a girl griffin nearby. I guess you have to squirt it in his mouth." Harry lifted the two gallons off his desk and set them on the floor, noting how chilled they felt. The house elves must be keeping it fresh for them magically. He would have to use heating charms to warm the bottle up when he refilled it. At least the bowl of raw meat was gone. He would have to thank the house elves properly for all their help at some point.

Ginny held the bottle out to Hermione, who smiled and eagerly accepted it. Hermione picked up the griffin and tried to jab the nipple in between his beaks but the griffin would not open his mouth. After a few more tries, he grew annoyed and opened his mouth to cry. Hermione used the opportunity to squirt the milk in his mouth.

Everyone watched as the griffin smacked his beak, then cooed as he eyed the bottle and reached up to nudge it. He opened his mouth expectantly and Hermione squeezed the bottle.

"He's so adorable," Ginny said, stepping over to Hermione and sitting next to her, watching the bushy haired girl feed the hatchling.

"Hey, could I try?" Dean asked.

"You can get the next feeding," Hermione said.

"You're not getting that baby away from her anytime soon," Draco said, shaking his head at Dean. He looked up and spotted Ginny, who stood awkwardly at Harry's side. "You told her?"

"She knew what the baby needed," Harry said. "And what it'll need in two weeks."

"I'm glad someone does. By the way, Thomas and Finnigan promised not to say a word about this. They think he's cool."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "He could be the Gryffindor mascot."

"He needs a name," Seamus said.

"I suggested Godric," Ron said, "you know, like Godric Gryffindor."

"I still think that's an awful idea," Draco said. "He looks more like a Sagittarius."

"What about Storm or Zephyr?" Neville suggested. "I think those are cool."

"I think we should call him Leo," Dean said. "He is representing the house of the lions, after all."

"But that makes it so cheesy," Seamus said. "He should be named something that sounds brave – like Achilles or Baldwin. Those are good names."

"No, no, no, no and no," Hermione said. She adjusted the sleepy and full griffin in her arms, setting the empty milk bottle down. Ginny scratched the griffin behind an ear. Hermione cooed down at the griffin curling himself up against her, purring. "Look at him. He's such a sweetheart. He's such a little Teddy."

"We are not calling him Teddy," Draco said.

"Well it's a good thing you don't get a final say," Hermione said.

"You don't get one either. We should all vote."

"I think we can decide on a name later," Harry said. "It's almost dinner in the Great Hall. Maybe he'll sleep well tonight now that he's fed."

"He'll probably need another feeding in a few hours," Hermione said, swaddling the griffin and settling him in the suitcase. "But we should go eat now and get back here before he wakes and cries again."

Everyone stood and put their homework away. Hermione pushed the suitcase toward Harry's bed, out of sight of the entry door. They all left for dinner.

* * *

Later that night, after feeding the griffin again and then hours of homework, Harry woke to the griffin crying softly and squirming in the suitcase bed. He crawled out of bed and filled the milk bottle, tapping his wand to it to warm it. He yawned as he picked up the griffin and the baby nudged the nipple and opened his mouth expectantly. Harry squeezed the bottle and the griffin swallowed happily. Harry was glad no one else woke. He would hate if anyone else got disturbed sleep because of the hungry griffin.

Once the baby was full once more, Harry set the baby down on the newspapers that Hermione had collected. The baby tried to walk away to explore, but Harry held it still. The griffin sat down, looking up at Harry curiously, its amber eyes glowing in the dark. It opened its beak in a friendly manner, as if smiling up at Harry. After a while, Harry picked up the griffin, but as he did so, it finally decided to use the bathroom after all, and Harry set him back down on the papers to finish.

He was glad when the soiled newspapers vanished, believing the house elves were assisting in that. He went to put the griffin back in the suitcase, but it wriggled free and tried to crawl under the bed.

"No, come here." Harry picked the fledgling up and cradled it. "Would you like to sleep with me?" Crawling into his bed, Harry tucked the griffin in next to him, but the baby jumped around on the blanket, trying to pounce on Harry's hands sliding under the blanket, it's tiny wings fluttering. "Shh! You need to settle down."

Harry eyed his Ivanhoe book; glad his father hadn't yet noticed it missing. He picked it up and used his wand as a flashlight. He crawled under the blanket, encouraging the griffin to crawl under with him.

"How about a bedtime story?" Harry said. The griffin sat and tilted his head at the book Harry was flipping through. "I'll pick up where I left off in this chapter. But you have to settle down and go to sleep. Okay?"

"Cruu," the griffin said.

"Good." Harry looked at his bookmarked page and cleared his throat and began reading the last half of the chapter he was on. As he read, the griffin yawned and stretched, lying down on the bed, his head rested on his paws. Harry came to the last passage: ""And there is mine in return," said the Knight, "and I hold it honored by being clasped with yours. For he that does good, having the unlimited power to do evil, deserves praise not only for the good which he performs, but for the evil which he forbears. (i)""

"Cruu." The griffin blinked its eyes open, peering at Harry.

"I know," Harry agreed, closing the book. "Good story right. I bet you'd like Ivanhoe."

"Cree," the griffin agreed.

"Ivanhoe, huh? What do you think? Too much? How about just Ivan? Do you like that?"

The griffin yawned and snuggled closer to Harry.

"Ivan, it is. Hope the others like it."

The griffin snored softly. Harry chuckled softly before setting his book aside and closing his eyes as well. He and Ivan fell into peaceful dreams.

Meanwhile, Sam walked to the edge of the forbidden forest, close to the lake. He dug at the trunk of a tree, digging a deep hole so erosion would not bother what he buried. He shook off the dragon tooth necklace and let it fall into the hole. He buried it, packing the soil firmly before clawing at the trunk of the tree, then rolling over the dirt patch. Once he was finished, he trotted back to the school.

Below the ground, the necklace glowed blue, and a blue misty trail rose from the ground and stretched for the school, finding its way through a window in Gryffindor Tower – the second-year boys' dorm. The trail weaved over to Harry's bed, circling the boy and griffin.

Suddenly, Ivan's eyes opened, glowing blue.

* * *

(i): Taken from Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, Chapter 33 – disclaimer: do not own. This was not random. The book was chosen for a purpose, and this passage has significance. Let me know if you've already made the connection.

Remember to leave your thoughts. I will try to update My Little Runaway next, I have been slowly building up the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	26. A Traitor in the Castle

This story was originally going in a very different direction, hence the title, but I think I like where it's heading. It's unique and regardless of where it's going, I'm going to leave the title as is. I am so sorry for such a wait on this story to those who have followed this series for so long, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. Please enjoy!

* * *

The week was flying by very quickly, and the children took turns babysitting and feeding the baby griffin in Gryffindor tower. Everyone agreed to the name Ivan, and in four days alone, the baby had doubled in size, weighing nearly twenty pounds. Goat milk disappeared quickly from the castle, and the house elves had to restock, which meant the griffin had no milk for nearly six hours, resulting in a screaming fit. That day, Ron had to keep replenishing his muffler charm around the dorm, while Hermione and Harry tried to soothe the baby until goat milk was supplied to them. Everyone was thankful when a fresh bottle of warm milk appeared for them.

The children involved with the griffin would deny that raising the baby was a challenge. The baby slept while they were in classes and played with quills, loose parchment, and blankets while the students worked on homework. They would agree, however, that keeping the baby hidden from professors, students, and Sam was very challenging, especially when Prefects would check in on what they were up to, and Sam could mist in whenever he pleased.

The suitcase became a lifesaver and "Red Alert" became code for "hide the baby griffin in the suitcase and cover him with a blanket." Ivan thought it was a game, and gladly jumped in the suitcase and curled up, crooing as softly as he could while he waited for the blanket to uncover him and someone to say "Peek-a-boo!"

Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco began watching every professor closely. Someone had to have placed the griffin in the chamber, and all the professors were suspects. Harry quickly ruled out his father (though he never suspected him to begin with). Harry knew that if his father wanted griffin feather or talons, Severus would collect them legally from a magizoologist.

Hermione managed to cross off McGonagall after an encounter with the professor in her office. Hermione had just finished feeding Ivan when McGonagall summoned Hermione to her office to question why so many students hung out in the second-year boy's dormitory. It turned out that McGonagall was allergic to griffin dander, and the woman could not stop sneezing the whole time Hermione explained the new "study group" she put together.

Ron had asked Hagrid a thousand questions about griffins, and Hagrid was able to answer the majority. Hagrid confessed to wanting a griffin as a pet, but he also explained that griffins were endangered and that he would rather see them free in the wild. Griffins belonged to the sky, after all, he had said. Ron decided that Hagrid could not have been the culprit.

Nor was Professor Sprout. Neville had learned that lilies were toxic to griffins, so he managed to spark up a conversation about the subject. Sprout knew little about griffins themselves but explained why lilies would be toxic to many animals in general. She had shown no desire to talk about "filthy animals that trampled her gardens" and was therefore ruled out.

During Charms class, Draco discovered a miniature griffin figurine and had asked Flitwick about it. Flitwick demonstrated the charm fourth years were taught to animate the figurines, and he had shown Draco the rest of his animal collection. Harry still had the dragon figurine Flitwick had given him years back, and decided Flitwick was not involved with Ivan.

"This is harder than we thought it was going to be," Ron said, lying on his bed and reading the required passage for their DADA class the next day. "So far, no one is a good enough suspect. But what do we even do when we figure out who it is?"

"Report him to Dumbledore, I guess," Neville shrugged.

"And what if Dumbledore wants to get rid of Ivan?" Dean asked, pointing at the griffin attacking Seamus's wiggling toes under a blanket. "He's going to be our mascot, remember?"

"Maybe we can write up a good argument to keep him here," Seamus said, reaching down and picking up the griffin. "I bet Hermione could come up with some great pointers. Like him being hand raised and all for one."

"We'll deal with that when we get there," Harry said, sitting up on his bed as Seamus dropped the griffin on Harry's bed after superman-ing with the happy squealing baby. Harry stroked the griffin behind an ear, and Ivan crooed. After a minute, Harry crawled out of bed and set his complete homework aside. "We still have to figure out which professor is responsible for hiding his egg in the chamber to begin with. And how he even got into the chamber."

Ivan rolled around on the bed, fluttering his tiny, useless wings.

"We've narrowed our suspects down at least," Ron said, nodding his head. "We've got Lockhart tomorrow. And I bet that man knows a lot about griffins. They can be dangerous, and he knew a lot about kitsune."

"Which Sam is still very suspicious about," Harry said. "He told me that most people knew alcohol affected kitsune somehow, but only specially trained magizoologists back in Japan knew exactly what alcohol did and what the percentages had to be and all."

"Maybe Lockhart went to Japan for research."

"According to his books, Lockhart's been everywhere for research." Harry held up a couple of Lockhart's required reading. The other boys snickered.

"So Lockhart is at the top of our list," Neville said with a nod. "Good thing we have him tomorrow for class."

"And we're definitely crossing off Professor Snape as a suspect?" Seamus asked, flipping through his potions book to begin on that subject's essay.

"I would know if my dad is up to something like that," Harry said with a glare, crossing his arms.

"Hey, I didn't mean any harm," Seamus assured Harry, holding up his hands defensively. "You have to admit, your dad would make the ultimate villain."

Harry rolled his eyes but offered a one-sided shrug. He hadn't seen much of his father in the last few days as the baby griffin demanded a lot of his time. He felt guilt wash over him; for hiding the griffin from his father and for not at least saying good morning to him at breakfast. He glanced at the large clock in the room and decided he still had plenty of time before curfew to stop by and say good night.

"I'll be right back," Harry said. "You'll keep an eye on Ivan, right?"

"Yeah, I get the next feeding!" Dean declared, snatching the bottle away from Neville's nightstand. Ivan saw the movement and sat up inquisitively, tilting his head at Dean, sniffing the air for warm milk.

"Good." Harry smiled, giving Ivan one last pet before running out of the room and out of the tower. He ran down to the dungeons and to his father's quarters, knocking hesitantly before opening the door, wondering if his father would even be in his quarters. He didn't think there were any scheduled detentions and office hours would be over at this point.

When he opened the door, he spotted Sam lying on his dog bed, paws in the air, sleeping contently. Harry smiled and tiptoed further inside, glancing inside his father's bedroom before finding the man in his study, writing away on a parchment.

"Good evening, Harry," Severus greeted, glancing up at his son with a smile.

"Hi Dad," Harry greeted, walking over to the man and giving him a one-armed hug.

Severus wrapped an arm around Harry's waist, pausing to reread what he had already written, absently running his fingers up and down Harry's arm.

"What are you working on?" Harry asked, peering down at the parchment only for his father to flip it over.

"Your test," Severus answered. He smirked at Harry. "I hope you've been studying well in that study group of yours."

"Yeah . . ." Harry looked down at his feet, scuffing the floor with his shoes.

"All right, what's wrong?" Severus asked, rubbing Harry's back. "I know that look—what's on your mind?"

Harry looked up and met his father's eyes, the man lifting an eyebrow. For a split second, Harry wanted to confess to everything he had been up to the last few days. Perhaps it was the stress of raising a baby animal no one had any idea how to properly care for. It could have been the stress of keeping that baby a secret from everyone. His father's eyes studying him did not help, especially since Severus could read him so well. Harry shrugged his shoulders, his stomach knotting suddenly.

"That does not tell me anything," Severus said. "Are you okay? You're not feeling ill, are you?" Severus placed a hand on Harry's forehead.

"No," Harry admitted. "Maybe a little queasy but I'm fine, really."

"Did you eat dinner?"

Harry nodded his head.

"Sleeping well?"

Harry nodded again.

"You had Quidditch practice yesterday evening, didn't you?" At Harry's nod, Severus narrowed his eyes. "It was raining then, as well, wasn't it?"

"It sprinkled some," Harry said.

"I'll advice Mr. Wood to keep his team from practicing in the rain."

"But sometimes it rains during the games. Storms, even."

"And I'll never understand why Madam Hooch does not cancel the games during such dreadful weather."

Harry smiled and leaned against his father. He felt better already just hearing his father fuss over his health. Severus carded a hand through Harry's hair, placing a kiss on the boy's head before pushing Harry to stand up. "Do you need a stomach soother? Pepper-up?""

"No, thank you," Harry said. "I feel better now. I guess I just needed to talk to you. It's been a while since we've just talked, and I wasn't in some kind of trouble."

"School is keeping you busy and out of trouble, as it should."

Harry laughed, his mind thinking about the little griffin back in his dorm. "I guess so."

"Is all your homework complete?"

"For this week."

"Very good. Would you like to spend the night down here or in your room?"

"Err . . ." Harry looked for a clock, wondering what was happening in his dorm at this minute. "Maybe not tonight. Ron needed help with his potions homework."

"Hmm. You may assist but I expect your friend to do most of the work. He will not learn if you give him all the answers."

"I won't. Love you," Harry said, planting a quick kiss on his father's cheek. Severus wished him goodnight and gave him a warning to not miss curfew. Harry assured his father and ran out of his dad's quarters and back to the tower, giving the Fat Lady the password and making his way up to the dormitory. When he entered, he found everyone fooling around; Seamus and Dean tossing crunched up parchment back and forth, Ivan chasing after it on the floor, running to each bed eagerly. Neville and Ron were laughing on their own beds as they finished up homework. Harry climbed up on his bed, balling up parchment to join the fun.

* * *

Defense Against the Dark Arts was as boring as ever. Lockhart went on about one of his great adventures—this one about encountering a yeti. He danced around the room, reciting word for word what was written in his book. Harry and Ron tried to keep from falling asleep by passing notes back and forth between each other. Hermione took notes diligently, though of what, Harry wasn't sure. Sam rested under Harry's table as he often did in classes, though he used his front paws to cover his ears irritably.

Finally, class was over, and everyone began packing up their books as fast as they could.

"Mr. Snape, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger, if you could stay behind for a minute."

The three students in question paused, looking at each other curiously. When everyone else cleared out of the classroom, Lockhart pulled up a chair and sat in front of the three students. He smiled charmingly.

"I heard at the staff meeting that you three and Mr. Malfoy went on a bit of an adventure. Now, the headmaster didn't exactly specify the exact details, but he said we professors are to keep the second-floor girls' bathroom closed off. What a curious place to have and adventure, don't you think?"

"Oi, what's this about?" Ron frowned. "We already got punished for this."

"Oh, no punishment!" Lockhart shook his head and raised up his hands defensively. "No-no. You know I'm a sucker for adventures. I'd like to hear all about what you four did."

"We can't really tell anyone," Hermione said, gathering her books together.

"No worries, it can be our little secret." Lockhart winked.

"We're really not supposed to tell anyone," Harry said, stressing the "really." He pushed back his chair, motioning for Ron and Hermione to do the same. Standing up, he threw his bag over his shoulder. "The headmaster would expel us for sure. Besides, what does it matter to you."

"All I'd like to know is what you three were up to," Lockhart said, his voice sounding rougher. "It'd . . . make for a good story. I can include what you three encountered in my new novel I am working on. Did you find a secret room? Was there a way you found it? A rare artifact perhaps?"

"No." Hermione shook her head. "Nothing like that."

"We should really be going," Ron said.

"Not so fast!" Lockhart snapped, grabbing Harry's arm before they could all run out of the classroom. "You will show your professor respect and answer the question I asked you."

Sam lunged out from under Harry's chair and snapped at Lockhart, forcing the man to release Harry and jump back to avoid being bitten. Sam snarled, keeping between Lockhart and Harry as the children moved for the exit, his ears flat and his tails flicking.

"Sorry, Professor," Hermione apologized, holding her books to her chest. "We really can't say."

"Sorry about Sam," Harry said. "He's a bit overprotective."

With that, the three kids ran out of the classroom, Sam following at Harry's heels. They stopped and panted a few hallways away, Sam glancing back to see if they had been followed.

"I think he's the one," Ron said. "That was very weird."

Hermione nodded, slipping her books into her bag.

"Of course, it'd be the new defense professor," Harry said, shaking his head. "I should have known."

 _: What are you three talking about?_ Sam said, looking up at the kids.

"Wasn't that odd, Sam?" Harry asked the fox, hoping to change the subject. "That was very unprofessional behavior for a professor."

 _: I'll say. I should report this to Severus immediately. You three stay clear of him. What he said is very alarming. I wonder if he's . . . hmm._

Sam misted and flew down the hall without another word. Harry frowned, wishing he knew what the fox had been thinking. Lockhart's words were odd, considering that it didn't seem the man was in search of a griffin, but something else. An artifact. Even an egg doesn't exactly fall under that category. Unless Lockhart thought so little of other living creatures. That must be it.

"Now that we have a clue," Ron said, "and we're ninety-nine percent sure Lockhart put the egg in the chamber, what do we do now? Tell Dumbledore?"

"We need more clues than being interrogated by the professor," Hermione said. "Besides, he said nothing about a creature. He wanted to know if we had an object."

"But that doesn't mean he didn't also put the griffin in the chamber."

"No, but we're going to need more evidence than what happened in the classroom."

As the three climbed up the stairs toward the tower, they ran into Draco. He joined them as they walked up the stairs, and they filled him in on the events that happened in the classroom. Draco instantly agreed that Lockhart had to have been the one that kidnapped the egg.

"We don't know if he kidnapped the egg," Hermione said. "Someone else could have stolen it and given it to him."

"Maybe," Draco said, frowning in thought. "But he's our number one suspect now. There's no doubt about that."

"Now we just have to prove with concrete evidence that Lockhart is the one who put the egg down in the chamber," Harry said. "We do that, and he gets arrested for illegally harboring an endangered species."

Ron paused as they neared the Fat Lady Portrait. "Wait a second—isn't that what we're doing? Wouldn't we get in trouble too?"

"We saved the griffin, Ron," Hermione said. "We're making sure he is well-cared for. He'd be dead if we hadn't found him."

"Right," Ron said, though he didn't look at all convinced.

Everyone entered the portrait and walked up to the boys' dorm, no one paying any mind to Draco, having grown used to the Slytherin joining the second years in their study group. They walked upstairs and entered the dorm, everyone freezing at the sight that greeted them, mouths dropping.

The window was ajar, and curtains, bed sheets, and pillows had been shredded on all the beds. Parchment was all over the place with bite marks and ink splatters everywhere, imprints of griffin paws on the parchment, beds, and carpet. Quills were still floating to the ground, feathers from pillows caught in the slight breeze the window offered.

And sitting in the center of it all, was the little griffin, Ivan, holding a dragon tooth necklace in his beak, his tufted tail wagging behind him.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, "he has Sam's necklace."

"I see," Harry whispered back. "How did he get that?"

"Sam said this would happen," Draco reminded, keeping a hushed voice. "He said it would try to get back to us. All we have to do is get it from Ivan, take it to Sam, and explain that somehow it ended back up in Gryffindor Tower. We all vouch for each other, and Sam will understand."

"That's brilliant," Ron said. "But how do we get it from Ivan?"

"We keep quiet," Hermione said, taking a slow step forward, holding her hands out. "And slow movements. Hi Ivan. What do you have? May I see it?"

"Here pretty boy," Draco said, moving forward as well. "That's it, who's a handsome griffin? You are. Yes, you are."

"Stay right there," Ron said. "No surprises now. Who wants some scritches and scratches?"

"That's a good boy, Ivan," Harry said. "Stay. Nice and easy now. Would you like some milk? I bet you're hungry after destroying the room."

As the four came close enough to grab Ivan, the griffin leaped away and ran under a bed, Ron diving for him and reaching under the bed, feeling for the griffin. Ivan crawled out the other side and pounced around the room, his wings fluttering as he jumped on and off beds, the kids chasing him. He slid to a stop as Draco cornered him, but then dove between the blonde's legs are the boy tried to grab him. Hermione quickly filled the bottle with milk and shook it, the milk magically warming as it usually did.

Ivan paused and looked back at her, tilting his head with a loud croo.

"Here Ivan!" Hermione said, holding out the bottle. "Come and get it!"

Ivan smiled and took a step toward Hermione when the door to the dorm swung open. Seamus froze at the entrance, his moth dropping at the sight of the room. "What happened in here?"

"Shut the door!" Hermione shouted.

But it was too late. Ivan leaped out the door with the tooth in his beak, running down the stairs.

"After him!" Harry said, already chasing after the griffin.

"Sorry," Seamus apologized, watching the four run after the griffin, wishing he could help but he had a class to get to. He looked at the room and shook his head.

Thankfully almost everyone was in class with only two or three people in the common room. One person shrieked as the griffin leaped over her and slipped on parchment. The griffin fell off the table it was on and thumped on the floor. Shaking himself off, he growled at the table he fell off of, then squeaked when Ron came around the table and reached for him. The griffin slipped away and ran for across the room.

At that time, the entrance swung open, Neville stepping through when the griffin ran between his legs, tripping the boy.

"Oh no," everyone muttered before running after the griffin.

"Sorry guys," Neville said, tossing his school supplies down and running after Ivan with them.

Ivan playfully leaped around the halls, happy for new sights and sounds. He kept away from his pursuing guardians, thinking they were playing a game of chase. And all for the shiny object in his mouth. Ivan paused to glance back at them, flicking his little ear tufts before disappearing around a corner.

The kids froze when they heard a loud screech.

"Ivan!" Harry cried, running around the corner, the other four following his lead.

They turned the corner and slid to a halt with loud gasps at what they saw.

There, clutching the squirming griffin by the back of his neck, was Professor Lockhart, and the man smiled at the children.

"So much for not telling anyone, eh?" Lockhart said, admiring the griffin. "My, its bigger than I though it'd be. Its egg was worth a fortune, but now." Lockhart whistled lowly. "I can only imagine the fortune I'll make."

"You can't have him, he's not for sale!" Hermione snapped.

"Well it's not yours to decide that, now is it? You see, children, I go around the world meeting experts in al kind of fields, learning their stories, then stealing their stories. I quick memory charm solves everything. And this"—Lockhart held up the griffin—"I took from a magizoologist who rescued its egg from a mudslide. But here's my story: he did try to rescue the egg, but he got caught in the mudslide, and I had to save him, losing the egg in the process. Everyone bought the story, and I mean literally, and the magizoologist now resides at St Mungo's, but he is eternally grateful for my actions."

"So all your stories are rubbish." Draco glared.

"Not rubbish. Bestsellers. And the creatures that "I" encounter I usually end up selling for a little bonus money. That slaughtered werewolf—three hundred galleons. Those trapped ghouls—forty galleons each. This griffin, well . . ." Lockhart smiled at the baby that began crying out in pain from the hold Lockhart had on him. "This will be worth an easy thousand."

"You're not selling him!" Hermione yelled again. "He's an endangered species, he needs protection."

"Maybe you're right," Lockhart said, his cold blue eyes staring at the kids. He stepped closer to the children, tightening his hold on the griffin when he attempted to bite Lockhart. "Before I came here, Dumbledore begged me to accept the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor opening. And I almost refused. But then an informant of mine told me of a magizoologist surveilling the nest of newly bonded griffins, and a perfect place to hide the eggs in Hogwarts until a collector came for them. Too bad the mudslide I caused smashed the other two eggs."

Hermione and Neville gasped, while Draco and Ron glared, and Harry took a protective step forward in front of his friends.

"I got away with this one, getting into the chamber through an underground sewer system. Then, to my surprise, I learn that there is a kitsune here. Now that is a prized treasure. You don't find those outside of Japan. I was meant to come here. All I needed was to get the fox alone and I had the perfect way of killing him."

"You can't hurt Sam," Harry said. "He's way smarter and faster than you'll ever be!"

"Lucky for you, I don't need the fox or this pathetic griffin anymore." Lockhart threw the griffin at the kids.

Harry caught the baby, falling backwards from the impact, Draco and Ron catching him by the arms before he could hit the ground. Ivan curled up against him, shivering in Harrys arms. Harry stabilized himself and his friends released him. Harry hugged Ivan, then glared at Lockhart.

"I have found something worth more than any creature on this planet," Lockhart said. He held up Sam's dragon tooth necklace. "Something with power greater than our minds could ever comprehend. The Dragon's Tooth of Requital itself! In my grasp, it's surreal! It was thought to be a myth. And now it is mine."

"It's not!" Draco snapped. "That's Sam's, and only he can use it."

"It'll drive you mad," Hermione added.

"Mad with power, indeed," Lockhart smiled devilishly, admiring the tooth. "Imagine the possibilities. All the fame and power in the world. Everyone will know my name! I just have to plan this out perfectly."

"No!" Ron said, holding up his wand and stepping toward Lockhart. "We'll tell everyone about what you did to this poor griffin."

"And then," Draco said, lifting his own wand and standing next to Ron, "we'll tell Sam about the tooth."

"And," Hermione said, her wand raised as she stepped next to Draco, "he'll take it back from you, even if he has to burn you to the ground."

"You won't get away with this," Neville said, lifting his wand and joining the three.

Harry, with his hands full of the griffin, also stepped forward, wandless but unafraid, Ivan snarling at Lockhart in his arms. "We won't let you," Harry added to Neville's statement.

Lockhart stared at all the wands aimed at him and the serious expressions on the kids' faces. The man laughed out loud, startling the kids, but they didn't back down. Lockhart shook his head as he slipped on the necklace, his white teeth dazzling down on them.

"I see how this is going to go," he said.

Lockhart gripped the tooth firmly in his hand, his smile transforming into a glare as he said, "Get rid of them."

The tooth began to glow blue and a thick, bluish fog began to settle around everyone.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted, only for his wand to jump out of his hand and fall to the ground, disappearing in the fog. Everyone's wand jumped out of their hand and Harry's fell from his pocket to the floor, all disappearing. The fog thickened at their feet and grew around them, rising up.

Lockhart smirked and walked away. Ron tried to chase after the man only to run into an invisible barrier keeping him in the fog. Everyone huddled closer together as the fog engulfed them, Harry tightening his hold on the griffin as he backed into Draco.

When the fog reached the ceiling, the floor caved from under the five children, and they screamed as they fell, the world blackening around them.

* * *

The smell of salt drowned his nose. Harry blinked his eyes open, clutching his head and rubbing away the pain. Ivan crooed and jumped on Harry's lap, wagging his tail and nuzzling the boy. Harry pet the griffin briefly before looking around at his surroundings.

He was lying on a sandy beach, the tide from the ocean rolling in and out repeatedly, the sun beating down on them. It appeared to be a deserted island. In the middle of the ocean. His eyes widening, Harry felt around for his wand, digging through the sand, the griffin sniffing around as well, though unsure of what Harry was looking for.

A loud groan caught Harry's attention, and he swung his head in the direction of the noise.

"Hermione!" Harry called out, and he crawled over to her, shaking her slightly.

Hermione rubbed her head as she sat up and her jaw dropped when she opened her eyes.

"Are you okay, Mione?" Harry asked. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no," Hermione said, pulling away and standing up. She tugged on her hair as she scanned the island. "I'm okay. I am. I'm perfectly fine, we're just stranded on some deserted island in the middle of nowhere, but I'm fine, honest."

"It's okay," Harry said. "Really, we'll be okay. Someone will find us."

"Cree," Ivan said, looking up at Hermione. "Cree-croo."

Hermione picked up Ivan and hugged him tightly. "I'm glad you're safe. Where are the others?"

"Hello? Anybody here? Harry? Ron?" It sounded like Neville.

"Neville!" Harry called out, he and Hermione running for the trees. "Over here!"

Neville walked out of the trees, rubbing his eyes. "Oh good. I'm not alone. I've no idea what I would have done by myself. Are you guys okay?"

"We're good, and you?" Hermione asked.

"I think I'm good. Where's Ron and Draco?"

"I'm sure they're here," Harry said. "We must have all landed in different areas."

"Oh merlin!" Hermione cried. "What if they landed in the ocean?"

"I did," Ron said, coming from around the beach, his robe damp. "It was a very rude awakening. The sun has been helping me dry off. I was all the way on the other side of this island. I've been walking for a while—an hour, I think."

"Did you see Draco?" Hermione asked.

"If I did, we'd stick together I'd think. No sign of him."

Harry peered into the trees. "He's here somewhere. We have to look for him. Come on."

Harry bravely led the way inland, calling out Draco's name. Hermione passed Ivan to Ron; her arms tired of the heavy baby. The griffin tightly clung to Ron's robe, frightened by the strange sounds of the forest, birds chirping, snakes hissing. They walked for a while, Ron tiring quickly having walked the most out of the group. He passed Ivan to Neville and helped call for Draco.

Minutes passed until a still figure came into view. Harry squinted, spotting the blonde hair. Smiling, Harry ran ahead, the other three chasing him.

"Draco!" Harry greeted. "We were starting to think you didn't come to the same island."

Harry frowned when Draco said nothing nor did the boy move from where he was standing. Instead, Draco made eye contact with Harry, then looked down. Harry sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of a large constrictor wrapped around both of Draco's legs, its tongue flicking out curiously as it worked its way up.

Hermione covered her mouth to keep from screaming. Neville jumped back and Ron froze, wide-eyed. Draco remained still, though fear was evident in his eyes.

"Don't move," Harry said, holding his hands out toward Draco, who gave him a look that said, "Really?"

The griffin growled and kicked out of Neville's arms, leaping for the snake. The snake hissed at the approaching danger, relaxing around Draco's legs in readiness to escape. Ivan was quick however, and bit down on the snake's neck, yanking it off of Draco. Ivan released the snake, which remarkably was unharmed, and it lashed out at Ivan.

"Run!" Draco shouted.

Harry picked up Ivan and ran after his friends. They didn't stop until Neville tripped over a root, but they decided they were a good distance away and the snake had not followed them. Harry looked at all his friends. No one seemed hurt. Harry sighed and set the griffin down, shaking out his tired hands. Ron pulled Neville to his feet. Draco rubbed his legs. Hermione looked at Harry.

"What now?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. He had no idea where they were, how they got there, or how to get back home. He didn't know how anyone would ever find them. By the looks of it, they were in the middle of nowhere. He deeply regretted not telling his father about the griffin. How much of this could have been avoided if he had just confessed when he had seen his father that night? Even if he had just told Sam about the baby. How did it get to this? And what now?

* * *

Remember to review! I could not find the perfect remote island to trap them on, so this island is a made-up, tropical area.


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